


McGarry House of Hell

by GinnyK, westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-02-02
Updated: 2005-02-02
Packaged: 2019-05-31 04:21:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 91,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15111698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GinnyK/pseuds/GinnyK, https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Further adventures of the McGarry clan.





	1. McGarry House of Hell

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**McGarry House of Hell**

**by: Ginny and Becky**

**Pairing(s):** CJ/Leo  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Disclaimer:** The usual, not mine etc.  
**Summary:** Further adventures of the McGarry clan. Sequel to "You Could Drive A Person Crazy"  
**Feedback:** Feedback is appreciated.  


Part 1 

CJ stood in the doorway to the bedroom, staring at Leo on the bed. "I just want you to know that we're never having anymore children," she said over Arianna's angry howling. "YOU take her -- she won't stop crying!" 

Leo sighed and took his daughter into his arms. She only cried louder. He patted the bed next to him and CJ collapsed for a few minutes. 

"CJ, the fact that you had your tubes tied when she was born kind of lessens the chances of us having more kids." he pointed out, loudly over the screams of their 3-month-old daughter. 

"Yeah, whatever. I'm going to finish getting dinner ready, Michelle has a class tonight." she kissed Leo and the baby before heading downstairs. 

Leo paced the room for a while trying to calm down Arianna. She was, by far, much more difficult than the other two kids had been. At least in his opinion she was much harder to handle than Pat and CJ always said Rose was a dream baby. 

Arianna screamed until she was purple in the face, and Leo finally laid her down on the bed, and he climbed up beside her. She slowly calmed down to a minor fussing, which had CJ flying up the stairs to see what he'd done to shut her up. "Leo, what...?" she finally said. 

He shrugged. "I have no idea -- she was turning funny colors, and I set her down, and she just... stopped." 

"Funny colors?" asked CJ. 

"Yeah, from screaming, you know, like Josh gets sometimes." explained Leo with a smile. 

"Well, whatever. It worked. Dinner's almost ready." 

By that time Ari was gurgling softly and kicking her feet against Leo. CJ went downstairs shaking her head. 

Leo turned to talk to his daughter. "You know, you're driving your mother nuts. She's set to go back to work full time next week and you're not helping the situation." He kissed her head and picked her up to take her downstairs. 

Rose and Pat were in the kitchen helping CJ get dinner on the table when Leo came in and deposited Ari in the porta-crib in the corner of the kitchen. 

Ari smelled the food and screamed to be fed herself. CJ sighed and went to pick her up after serving the food up. 

"Can't we take Ari back?" Pat asked. "We can take her back to the baby store and get a new sister that doesn't yell..." 

CJ sighed as Ari screamed even louder, before finally latching on and nursing. Even though she was getting just what she wanted, though, Ari kept trying to push away from CJ, which was making it very difficult for CJ to keep from crying. 

"Leo, I don't think I can do this. I've had little sleep in the past few weeks; I'm supposed to go back to work full-time next week. What if I can't do it?" 

"You can. We will figure something out." he said feeding her a forkful of casserole. 

"Daddy, can I draw." yelled Pat as he jumped on the couch, nearly on top of Ari who was almost asleep. Well, not anymore. 

"Sure Pat, go in the kitchen." 

Ari's cries were enough to send CJ over the edge. Leo took the baby as CJ's tears started. "Go take a bath, I'll get the kids ready for bed." 

He took Ari back into the kitchen to find Pat. Pat was just finishing up his drawing. He was showing great artistic ability for a child of his age. 

"That's great," he said to Pat as he admired his latest work. "Hang it on the fridge and let's take a bath. Rose, half an hour of TV and then come upstairs." 

"OK, Dad." 

Leo gave Pat a bath and got Ari settled down in the bouncy seat. 

"Okay, little man, go get yourself into your pajamas, and get in bed," Leo instructed. "I'll be in to tuck you in a few minutes, I promise." 

"'Kay," Pat replied, streaking his way into his bedroom to get into his pj's. 

Leo laughed and went to check on Rose. "Sweetheart, time to get ready for bed," he said. 

"The show will be over in five minutes," Rose grumbled. 

"Okay, as soon as the show's over," Leo stipulated firmly. 

"Okay..." 

Leo went to check on CJ, who was sound asleep in the tub. Smiling, he kissed her gently on the forehead, and then went to make a phone call. 

"White House Residence..." 

"Hey, Coop, lemme talk to the President, please," Leo said, waiting patiently. 

"Leo, what a surprise -- the family man cometh?" 

"Very funny, Jed." 

"Jed? This must be serious..." 

"It is." 

"What's wrong?" 

"We're going to need to scale back CJ's duties at work dramatically, at least for a while." 

"Why? What's wrong?" 

"Ari's being difficult -- CJ hasn't been able to sleep, the baby cries all the time when she's being held or fed or anything, and CJ's just running on full tilt." 

"Have you taken Ari to the doctor?" 

"Yeah, there's nothing wrong with her physically -- she just, I guess, doesn't like being touched." 

"You want me to have Abbey call her?" 

"Yeah, I think maybe that would be a good idea." 

"No problem. We'll sit down tomorrow and talk about how to make things easier on CJ. You get some sleep yourself, Leo." 

"I will. Thanks, Jed." 

"You're welcome. Good night." 

"Good night," Leo sighed, hanging up the phone and rubbing his eyes. He went into Pat's room, tucked him in, and groaned inwardly at the thought of trying to get Arianna into her pajamas and into bed for the night. 

Bucking up, he very gently picked her up out of the bouncy seat and she opened her eyes briefly, snorted, and went back to sleep. Sighing in relief, Leo changed her diaper and got her into her pj's, and into bed, under the covers. 

When he went back into the bedroom, CJ was getting dried off. 

"Why didn't you tell me I fell asleep," she mumbled, wrapping a towel around her wet hair. "Are the kids..." 

"The kids are in bed, even Ari," he assured her, kissing her on the cheek. "Relax, sweetheart, and get some sleep." 

"How did you manage that?" she asked, grateful that he had gotten her to bed but a little put off that Ari seemed to respond better to Leo. 

"I don't know. She fell asleep in the bouncy seat and I managed to put on her pj's without waking her up. Why don't you go to bed? I'll get up with her later, there's plenty of bottles you pumped in the freezer." 

She sighed and reached for her nightshirt. "Okay, yeah, whatever -- I just want to sleep for a year..." 

"Maybe not a year," Leo said with a smile. "Will a whole night do?" 

"Yeah," she sighed, heading out to the bed and sinking onto it with a tired moan. 

Leo went to the kids' bathroom and threw the dirty clothes in the hamper, wiped off the counter and recapped the toothpaste. He went into the master bathroom and changed into his own pajamas. Part of him wanted to just crawl into bed too but he remembered the stack of files that were waiting for him in his briefcase. Dragging himself down the stairs he resigned himself to spending the next few hours reading. 

About an hour later, Ari woke up and started screaming. Leo grabbed a bottle and stumbled back up the stairs. Pat was sitting up in bed, crying, too, so Leo picked Ari up and plugged the bottle into her mouth, and sent Pat into the big bedroom with CJ. 

Ari didn't want the bottle, and went right on screaming angrily. 

Rose came in and said, "Am I too young to move out?" 

"Yep, but I'll take her downstairs to feed her. You can go sleep with Pat and Mommy, if you want." 

"No thanks." muttered Rose as she headed back for her own bedroom. 

Leo stood up and carried a screaming Ari back down to the living room. She was obviously hungry but not at all interested in being held. He propped her up in the corner of the couch and fed her that way, not holding her at all, just holding the bottle up for her. It seemed to work and she did finish the bottle, dropping off to sleep when she was through. 

Leo sighed and let her stay there. He finished his reading, or rather, finished enough of his reading to go to bed for the night. He picked Ari up and she immediately woke up and started screaming. 

CJ flew downstairs in a flash, scooping Ari up, and making the screaming worse. 

As CJ's own tears of frustration started Leo took the baby back from her and wordlessly sent her back to bed. He dragged the porta crib into the living room and put her in it. She calmed down from completely frantic to merely agitated within a few minutes. He grabbed a pillow and blanket from the hall closet, settling himself down on the couch for the night. 

CJ came downstairs a few minutes later, an overnight bag in hand, and grabbed her purse. "I'll be back," she promised as she walked out, not allowing Leo a chance to even say a word. 

A minute later Michelle walked in the front door. 

"Was that CJ driving off at this hour?" she asked as she dropped her bookbag by the front door. 

"Yeah, the baby's been fussy tonight and I think she just had enough." 

"You want me to do anything before I go to bed?" she asked. 

"No, we're fine. Don't worry about it." 

Michelle shrugged her shoulders and went through the kitchen to her room. 

Twenty minutes later Jed called to say CJ was there and not to worry. 

"Don't worry? Easy for him to say." muttered Leo to himself as he hung up the phone. 

Ari gurgled contentedly from her port-a-crib, and Leo sighed as he bedded down for the night. 

CJ curled up under the covers in one of the bedrooms in the residence, and tried not to cry anymore than she already had. She managed to get 6 straight hours sleep for the first time since Arianna was born. Unfortunately 6 straight hours did have its price and she woke up in serious need of the breast pump. Which she had somehow managed to remember to bring with her. 

Abbey came in as she was finishing, and said, "Leo called a while ago, asking if you remembered the pump." 

"Yeah," CJ replied, holding up the offending hunk of plastic. "Don't ask me how, but I did." 

Abbey chuckled. "Can I sit down?" 

CJ nodded as she tucked her things away in the bag again. "What's up?" 

"Leo's worried about you." 

CJ sighed. "I know." 

"You want to talk about it?" 

"I guess so." said CJ as she rubbed her eyes tiredly. 

"OK, how about you grab a shower and meet me in the kitchen. I'll take this," she said reaching for the bottle of milk. 

"Sounds good. Thanks Abbey." 

"You are more than welcome." 

CJ smiled a little, and got dressed after Abbey left. When she went to the kitchen, Abbey was waiting with a plate of hot buttered toast with fresh raspberry preserves. "What do you want to drink? Milk? Juice?" 

"Abbey, if I ever drink another glass of milk, it'll be too soon," CJ sighed, sitting down. 

"Orange juice okay, then?" 

"Yeah..." 

"So, what's wrong?" Abbey asked, getting the juice out of the fridge. 

"I don't know. Ari is so fussy. The other two were never like this. I've been watching what I eat, no chocolate, no caffeine, no broccoli, no onions but it doesn't seem to be helping." she groaned as she reached for some toast. 

"What does the pediatrician say?" 

"She couldn't find anything wrong with her. Just a high-need infant. And I'm scheduled to come back full time next week. I don't think I can do it." sighed CJ. 

Abbey nodded. "I'm sure Leo and Jed will work something out," she said quietly. "Meanwhile, I'm going to contact a couple of people, and see what's what, and you're going to get some rest." 

"I can't rest -- I have three children, under the age of ten," CJ sighed. 

"CJ, you have to rest and you have to eat," Abbey said as she pushed the plate of food closer to CJ. 

"I know." whispered CJ. 

"Have you considered hiring more help at home?' 

"No, Michelle is fine. She's a huge help with Rose and Pat. I don't want to hire someone just to take care of the baby." 

"Why not?" asked Abbey, trying to coax some information out of CJ. 

"Cause that would make me feel like a total failure." 

"You are not a failure at all, let alone a total failure," Abbey scolded. "Look at yourself, CJ -- you have three beautiful children, a wonderful husband who loves you to the point of worship, a happy home life, a good, steady job, friends who love you, and there is nothing there to point you out as a failure." 

"Except my youngest seems to hate me." muttered CJ bitterly. 

"Honey, I know this isn't the best suggestion and some groups would have my head if they heard me say this, but have you thought about weaning the baby? You could always pump if you don't want to use formula. I just think it would be easier if other people could feed her regularly. Or if you don't want to wean her completely, start setting aside certain feedings for her to get the bottle. Try and get her on some kind of schedule. It will be better all around." 

"I've thought about weaning her, but I'm just not ready. She's my last child and I'm not ready to give up nursing." 

"That's fine. Then work on the schedule and start having Michelle give her a bottle during the day. Keep pumping to keep up the supply. Let Leo get up in the middle of the night. He doesn't need much sleep." she said with a grin. 

"True." smiled CJ. 

Abbey put her arm around CJ's shoulder and hugged her. "I know it's hard, but things will work out just fine, you know." 

"Yeah," CJ sighed. "Sure they will..." 

"They will," said Leo softly from the doorway. 

Abbey got up to leave them alone. She patted Leo on the arm as she passed by him. 

"Hi. You get some sleep?" asked Leo as he kissed her forehead. 

"Yeah, look, I'm sorry for running out like that last night." 

"You have nothing to apologize for, sweetie." 

"Thanks" said CJ with a weary smile. 

"You get some rest?" he asked softly. 

"Yeah... where're the kids?" 

"Michelle's taking Rose to school and she's going to take Pat and Ari to the park. At least while they're there, it's okay to let Ari scream like a little monster." 

CJ grinned. 

"I'm heading to my office, you go home and go back to bed." he said as he grabbed the last piece of toast. 

"I'll walk with you. I need to grab a few things out of my office before I go." 

"An hour CJ," warned Leo with a smile. "If you aren't out of here in one hour I'm having the Secret Service drag you out." 

"Yes, sir" she smirked. 

"No siring me," he growled, kissing her. "You know how I hate that." 

"Yes, I do," she said with a smile. "I'll see you later," she promised, kissing him. 

An hour later CJ let herself in the front door of their townhouse. Michelle and the kids were still at the park. She made a cup of tea and read the paper while CNN played in the background. 

She heard the sounds of little footsteps on the landing about 45 minutes later. Pat bounded in the front door and landed in her lap. He babbled on and on about the trip to the park while Michelle put a sleeping Ari into the porta crib and went to start some laundry. CJ and Pat cuddled on the couch until Ari started to fuss. Pat slid off her lap and looked at the baby with a scowl. "I'm going to play in my room." he declared as he went up the stairs. 

"OK, kiddo, let's try something," muttered CJ as she picked Ari up. She took her upstairs and settled her down in the middle of the big bed. CJ unbuttoned her shirt and lay down next to the baby. She propped Ari up on her side and settled herself down on her side, propping her head up on her hand. She managed to feed the baby that way, without holding her in her arms. Ari seemed to be ok with it, for the moment, at least. 

With a sigh of relief, CJ lay down and dozed off. She awoke to Pat's little voice, scolding Ari. "No, no!" he said. "Don't pull mommy's necklace!" 

"Pat, it's okay," CJ mumbled, opening her eyes. "You want a snack?" 

Pat nodded. 

CJ gently reached down to pull Ari's hand off of her necklace. "Thank you, sweetheart," she whispered to the baby with the big blue eyes and drooly smile. 

Pat gave his sister a smile and a sweet kiss on the hand while CJ propped her on the bed with more pillows. 

CJ and Pat had a snack and spent some time reading on the floor in his room. Ari slept peacefully for a change. 

After lunch Ari still seemed to be in a good mood so CJ loaded her into the stroller and walked to pick up Rose from school. Pat was napping so Michelle stayed with him. 

Rose hopped out of school and spotted her mother. "MOMMY!" she yelled, running up. She looked down at the stroller, and said, "Why's SHE here?" 

"Because she's your little sister." 

"She's noisy," Rose pointed out. 

"Not right now, she's not." 

"She's gonna be hungry soon, though." 

"Probably -- would you like to give her bottle?" 

Rose scowled at her. 

"Guess not," muttered CJ. "Do you have much homework?" 

"Spelling and math. Do you think Daddy will be home for dinner?" 

"I don't know. We can call him when we get home." 

"OK. Mom I think maybe I would like to feed Ari when we get home." 

CJ smiled. "That would be nice." 

Rose nodded. "If she doesn't yell," she stipulated. 

"She won't yell if you do what I show you to do," CJ said gently. "We finally found a way to make it work." 

"No screaming?" 

"No screaming." 

"Good. Can I push the stroller?" 

"Sure" 

By the time they got home Pat was awake and having a snack in the kitchen. Michelle got a snack for Rose while CJ changed the baby and put her in the bouncy seat. Ari started fussing just as Rose was finishing her snack. CJ went to the freezer and grabbed a bottle of breastmilk. She thawed it in a bowl of hot water and Rose tried to occupy Ari with a toy. 

Ari bopped Rose in the nose with a tiny fist, and Rose yelled, "OW!" which startled the baby and made her start screaming. 

CJ rushed over with the bottle and, careful not to touch Ari, offered it to her. She held the bottle while Ari drank happily. 

"See, just hold it for her. You don't even need to take her out of the seat." 

"Neat, can I try?" 

CJ handed her the bottle and a cloth diaper just in case. "Just keep the bottle tipped up." 

Pat wandered in to see what was going on. "Mommy, the baby's eating and she's not screaming" he said excitedly. 

"Yeah, sweetie," CJ agreed, picking him up and wincing a little. "You're heavy, y'know..." 

"I am?" he said. 

"Yeah, but it's okay, sweetie." CJ kissed him on the cheek. "I love you just the way you are. And Rosie, too. And Ari." 

"Baby," Pat corrected. 

"Oh, now, come on, Pat -- you know you're all my babies." 

"No -- you like HER better," Pat said, struggling to get out of CJ's arms. 

CJ let him go without saying anything. She glanced over to see Rose still feeding a very content Arianna. When the bottle was finished CJ carefully picked up the baby to burp her. Ari stiffened at first but then melted into CJ's arms for a while. 

Leo called to say he wouldn't be home for dinner but would try to make it home before the kids went to bed. This caused some of Rose's good mood to disappear but things weren't too bad. 

But Pat was sulking and being impossible to deal with. He even refused to take his bath, which was something he loved to do. 

CJ sighed as she tucked him in, bathless. "Little man o mine, you better get it out of your head that I love you less than your sister," she scolded. "I love you so much. You're my little boy, and I love you. I love Rose because she's my little girl. And I love Arianna because she's my little girl. Okay?" 

"Okay, where's Daddy?" 

"He's not home yet. I'll send him in to kiss you when he gets home. Good night sweetie." 

"Bye, Mommy." 

CJ blew him one last kiss and turned out the light. The way he talked, the way his little mind worked was just incredible for someone who was only 2. There were times he was just too much like his father. 

She tucked Rose in and retrieved Ari's bouncy chair, which she set up on the bed, so she could get some sleep. CJ nodded off, waiting for Leo. 

She woke up when the bed shifted a little, and she heard Ari's hungry gurgle. 

"Leo," she muttered sleepily, "Leave her here, I'll nurse her." 

"You sure, I can give her a bottle." he offered. 

"Nah, the two of us worked on a system today." she said as she propped herself up on her side and undid the buttons on her nightgown. "Take her out of the seat and hand her to me." 

Leo did as he was told. He was still a little skeptical that Ari would actually eat without screaming. But she did, snuggled up against CJ but not actually in CJ's arms. 

"Wow" was all Leo could say. 

"Yeah," she agreed. "It's a pain in the ass, but she even let Rose bottle-feed her earlier..." She yawned and closed her eyes again. "Just don't touch her too much, or she'll go ape-shit again," she mumbled, drifting off again. 

The baby fell asleep after eating and rather than risk waking her up Leo just left her in the bed, between the two of them. The whole house managed to get 6 straight hours sleep that night. Something that hadn't ever happened before. 

CJ sighed when the alarm clock went off, and Ari began to fuss. "Leo, shut it off," she hissed, slapping his shoulder and trying to get Ari to nurse so she'd shut up again. 

Leo slapped the alarm clock and growled, "I was working on it, okay?!" 

"Sorry," she whispered. Ari kicked her in the stomach, and she yelped, which made the baby cry some more. "Okay, dammit, this is so far beyond colic..." she whimpered. 

"CJ, what do you want me to do?" asked Leo, willing to help but not really in the mood to help with the wrong thing. 

"Leave me to try and feed her, take your shower and get Rose up." 

"OK" he said as he kissed her cheek before sliding out of bed. 

"Leo?" she whispered once she'd finally gotten Ari to latch on. "I'm taking her to the doctor today -- I don't care if I am supposed to go back to work or not. This is more important." 

"I know," he agreed with a sad smile. "Try to get some rest, honey." 

"Yeah," she sighed as the baby kicked her in the stomach again. 

CJ sat in the pediatrician's office later that morning. She was surrounded by young, perky new mothers with perfectly quiet infants. Ari was fussing in her seat. When their name was called she picked up the seat and walked to the exam room. 

She lost her temper with the doctor when he told her that there was absolutely nothing wrong with Arianna, and that she was being hysterical. 

"You don't know me," CJ growled. "You don't understand that I am not a hysterical person, I protect the President for a living. I can't be hysterical. This is my child, and I know something is wrong when my baby pushes me away, doesn't like being touched, and can't stand noise. I have two other children, and they were both calm, content babies. I just want to know what's going on, what I'm doing wrong, and what I can do to make her feel better," she pleaded. "And no one is helping me!" 

The pediatrician's brow furrowed. "You said she doesn't like being touched or noise, yes?" 

"Yes..." 

"I'm going to call someone, okay, and I'll be right back." 

CJ calmed herself down with the doctor left to make a phone call. When she returned CJ had just gotten Arianna to stop screaming. 

"OK, I talked to a colleague of mine. She's a pediatric neurologist. I'd like to make an appointment for you to talk to her. She may be able to provide you with some suggestions on how best to handle Arianna's, uh, for lack of a better word, temper." 

"It's not her temper," CJ said. "She's a good baby, when she's not doing this, she really is..." Her voice trailed off and she put Arianna back in her seat. "Thanks," she said, putting things back in the diaper bag and slinging it over her shoulder. "I'll give you my card, so you can call me at the office. I'll be back at work, starting tomorrow." 

The doctor patted her arm and left the room without a word. CJ got the baby settled in the car and decided to go by the office. She wanted to bring the baby by to see everyone one last time before she threw herself head first into her work. Fortunately Arianna remained in a good mood for the entire visit and was quite the little princess of the West Wing. She even sat in on a staff meeting in the Oval Office, sleeping peacefully in the arms of her adoring god-father. 

CJ was frustrated practically to tears by Ari's complacency. She could not understand why she screamed bloody murder when she touched her, but could sleep in Jed's arms like she was doing. Leo picked up on her frustration -- it was obvious that he was feeling it, too -- and gently put his arm around her shoulders in a comforting and protective gesture. 

Toby, Sam and Josh picked up on that movement, but they had no way of knowing what it meant. They did, however, understand it all too clearly when CJ slipped silently out of the room and didn't come back. 

She went to her office and got a head start on the work that was piled up. Toby wandered in a little while later. 

"Hey, you didn't come back in." 

"I uh, have stuff to do." she muttered distractedly. 

"CJ, what's wrong?" he asked softly. 

"Nothing," she said sharply. She glanced up at him and saw the obvious worry on his face, and realized that that was a picture she rarely, if ever, saw. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's complicated, Toby." 

"Yeah, so's your relationship with Leo, and I'm willing to bet that's the line he first used on you." 

She shrugged. "Maybe." 

"See?" 

"I'm just tired and anxious to get back to work," she said, not sure how much of it was a lie and how much of it was the truth. She was tired, and she was extremely anxious to get back to work, if only to get the anger she felt about Arianna's "temper" pushed to the back burner for a while. She was stressed beyond belief and was just completely overwhelmed. 

"CJ..." 

She glanced back up at him. 

"Please tell me what's wrong," Toby said quietly. "Are you and Leo fighting again?" 


	2. McGarry House of Hell 2

**McGarry House of Hell**

**by: Ginny and Becky**

**Pairing(s):** CJ/Leo  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Disclaimer:** The usual, not mine etc.  
**Summary:** Further adventures of the McGarry clan. Sequel to "You Could Drive A Person Crazy"  
**Feedback:** Feedback is appreciated.  


* * *

Part 2 

"No not at all. We're just both stressed. I mean look at our lives, we work in the White House and we have 3 kids under the age of 10, we're not exactly, uh..." 

"Young?" said Toby with a grin. 

"Yeah" grinned CJ. "I'm nervous about coming back full-time. Arianna is, well, quite a handful. I worry about Michelle. We decided to put Pat in a nursery school program 3 afternoons a week to give her some time with just the baby. Rose and Pat are both jealous and somewhat resentful of their sister and I can't say I blame them. It has been a big adjustment all around." 

"You were looking at Arianna in the Oval like she was gonna explode or something. Why?" 

CJ sighed and threw down the folder she had been looking through in frustration. "Because she's a live wire, Toby -- she hardly ever stops crying. We FINALLY just YESTERDAY worked out a system so she gets fed and doesn't try to hurt the people feeding her. She cries all the time, I hardly get any sleep, and she can't stand being touched by anyone -- not even me. Not even her MOTHER, Toby!" She couldn't help it -- she began to cry. 

Toby stood up and pulled the visitors chair behind the desk to sit next to her. He handed her a tissue and rubbed her back while she cried. 

"And before you ask, she's been to the doctor and apparently there's nothing wrong with HER." 

"Claudia Jean, there's nothing wrong with you either." he said as he handed her another tissue. 

"Oh, yeah, I'm just such a wonderful mother -- my children all hate me," she blubbered into the Kleenex. "Rose is pissed because I don't spend time with her, Pat is pissed and thinks we love Rose and Ari more than him, and dammit, my own baby doesn't want to be held by me!" she wailed, falling forward onto the desktop and crying her eyes out. 

"CJ," Toby whispered, just stroking her back as comfortingly as he could, "they love you. You're their mother -- they'll always love you, they'll always come to you with their problems. They love you. They respect you." 

"Why doesn't it feel like that?" she whimpered. 

"Because you're really stressed out and tired and you're probably suffering from a dandy case of post-partum depression, or whatever the hell it's called." 

"I didn't know you were an expert," she sniffed. 

"I'm not. But you need to go get checked out, just in case." 

She sighed and groaned, looking down at her soaked shirt. "Oh, dammit, I've gotta find Ari..." she mumbled, reaching for the box of Kleenex to try to clean herself up. 

She found Leo and Ari in Josh's office. She tried to sneak in and just grab the baby without calling attention to herself. But with Josh in the room that didn't happen. 

"Hey CJ, what's on your shirt." 

"Lunch, Joshua." 

"But it's only 11:30." he said a little puzzled. 

"The baby's lunch." she hissed as she grabbed Ari from Leo and left the room. 

"Joshua, could you be a bigger idiot if you tried?" called Donna from her desk. 

"Probably" called Josh as he turned his attention back to Leo. 

Leo just laughed. 

He finally shook his head and said, "Josh, do you not remember when Pat was born and she'd change shirts five or six times a day?" 

"Oh, yeah," Josh said, making a face. "I'm not looking forward to that with Donna." 

"Excuse me?" Leo said. "Are you telling me that..." 

"We're trying," Josh supplied with a shrug. "Not getting very far, but we're having fun practicing." 

"I bet you are," Leo snorted. "Just take a good look at CJ and me before you decide to push your luck." 

"Actually I was thinking getting married would be a good first step." mused Josh. 

"Ya think so?" teased Leo. "Seriously, what are you waiting for?" 

"I don't know." 

"Well, stop waiting. I waited way too long and missed out on a lot of things." 

"Yeah, but you got to make up in extra innings," Josh pointed out. 

"Shut up -- those extra innings are giving me a lot of trouble," Leo pointed out dryly. 

"Yeah, but you got the biggest score of all -- you got CJ Cregg." 

"You'd better not mean that the way it sounded, Joshua, or I'll castrate you, Donna or no Donna. You so much as wink in my wife's direction and I'll..." 

"HELLO! Donna, Leo. DONNA. D-O-N-N-A." 

"Josh, you're yelling so loud your gonna wake the baby up and she's down in CJ's office." she said from the doorway. 

"Sorry." 

"Did you actually want something or were you just yelling?" she asked. 

"I, uh, yeah..." stuttered Josh as he fidgeted at his desk. 

"I'm outta here. Don't forget what we talked about." said Leo as he winked at Donna on the way out. 

Donna turned to Josh with her eyebrows raised. "Why did Leo just wink at me? Josh, what did you say to him?" 

Josh kind of rubbed his toes into the carpet and mumbled, "Nothing... Donna, will ya sit down?" 

She nodded. "Is this about last night?" 

"Kind of, but not really." 

"Okay, how can it be kind..." 

"Donna, will you marry me?" 

Donna just blinked a few times and stared at Josh, not quite sure she had heard him correctly. 

"Josh, did you just...uh...did you ask..." 

He knelt down next to her chair and took her hand. 

"Yes, I did." 

"Then yes, I will." she said with a grin as she wrapped her arms around him. 

Leo headed off in search of CJ, content in knowing that finally the love fest between John and Donna REALLY meant something. 

"Hey," he whispered, creeping into her office stealthily. "How's she doing?" 

"She's cranky because I have to hold her to feed her in here, but she's not being loud about it, thank GOD," CJ replied, pushing her hair back out of her face. "What's up?" 

"Josh and Donna are getting married." 

"Good! Certainly took them long enough..." 

"CJ, I need to ask you something." 

"Sure, go ahead..." 

"You withdrew two thousand dollars from the bank last week in a lump sum. If you needed money that badly, why didn't you say something to me?" 

"It's not for me," CJ said, her eyes sad and her lips turned down. "It's a for a friend." 

"Okay, CJ, is your friend in trouble? I'm just asking because you do this every two months, according to Margaret." 

CJ paled. "Leo..." 

"Claudia, please talk to me," he said quietly. "Are you letting someone blackmail you or us or both?" 

"NO!" 

"Then please, tell me what's going on." 

"Leo, I can't. Not now, not after what's happening with Ari. That's bad enough, and I don't even want to think about this other..." 

"Claudia, listen to me. I love you, no matter what. Yes, we're going through a rough patch right now, but I always love you -- you know that. Please, just tell me what's going on." 

She licked her lips, and bit her lower lip. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have taken it out of the joint account..." 

"I'm not worried about that. There's more to spare. CJ..." 

"Rose wasn't our first child," she whispered, eyes downcast. 

"What?" He was confused. 

"That first time we made love, I got pregnant," she whispered, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "The baby was born with a type of benign tumor in her brain that is in just the wrong spot -- she's almost 10, and she has the mental capacity of an artichoke." 

Leo paled and for a second CJ was worried he was going to pass out. She reached out and yanked him down on the couch next to her. 

"Shit. Leo, put your head between your knees. Take a deep breath" she said as she put Arianna in her seat quickly and grabbed him a bottle of water. 

"How could you not tell me this?" he finally sighed, his head between his knees. "How could you not..." 

"Leo, it's hard enough for me. I didn't know how you would take it," she whispered, rubbing his back. "Kate lives with my parents, they take good care of her for me, I just have to send some money now and then." 

"So that's why we've never visited your parents in California. They always come here. Now it makes sense. I have to ask, who else knows?" he asked quietly, bracing himself for the answer that he knew was coming. 

"Toby" 

He sighed. "Why does Toby know?" 

"Because he's her guardian, Leo, and he's my best friend. Besides you, I mean. You know what I mean." She was stumbling over her words, trying not to cry. 

"I feel so betrayed right now," Leo sighed. 

"I know and I'm sorry. Sorrier than I have ever been about anything in my life." 

"I just need...I need some space. I'm gonna..." he stuttered as he pointed towards the door. CJ nodded and watched him get up slowly and walk out the door, looking years older than he had looked just an hour earlier. 

She absently bounced Arianna a little in her chair and closed her eyes. She didn't feel like telling Leo how she felt right at that moment -- that they had two normal, healthy, smart children, and two under-pars. 

Toby knocked on her door and said, "What's wrong with Leo?" 

"Why, what did he say?" asked CJ nervously. 

"Not much, just stormed past me in the hall, red face and glaring at me. I think he muttered something under his breath but I'm not sure. What the hell happened in here?" 

"I told him." 

"Told him what...Oh." said Toby quietly as he sat down in her visitor's chair. 

"He asked about the money -- I had to tell him." She sighed and bounced Ari a little more, much to the little one's delight. 

"Yeah, I understand," Toby sighed. "But can you imagine what would've happened if he knew before?" 

She shrugged. "Telling him about Rose was hard enough, especially when he saw me with his own eyes." 

"Yeah." 

"He's angry at me, and I'll let him be, but I'll be damned if I let him take it out on you guys." 

"CJ, don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Worry about yourself, the kids, your husband." he said softly as he ran his hand over his head. "You told him the extent of my involvement?" 

"Yeah, I'm sorry I should have talked to you first." 

"No, you have nothing to be sorry about, at least not where I'm concerned. I knew sooner or later all of this would come out. I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner. So now what are you going to do?" 

"I don't know," she said quietly. "I really don't. I haven't seen Kate since right after dad's birthday, you know... and I know you haven't seen her since that last trip west you made. Leo's never seen her. I don't know what to tell him, how to prepare him for that." 

"She's your daughter, as much as Rose and Ari are, CJ, and you need to treat her that way." 

CJ sighed. "I know." 

"I have to go. I have two speeches to finish. Think about what I said. Let me know what you decide. Whatever you need, just let me know." said Toby as he stood up to leave. He kissed both the baby and CJ before heading back to his office. 

A few minutes of silent solace passed. Jed knocked on her office door and she smiled at him. "Hey, what's up, sir?" she asked. 

"I'm trying to find Leo -- have you seen him?" 

"Not for a while, and he's a little angry with me right now, so if you do find him..." 

"What's wrong?" 

"Nothing I want to talk about at the moment." replied CJ as she reached to pick up Ari who was starting to fuss. 

"Claudia Jean, you look like hell. Give me my god-daughter and go pull yourself together, get a cup of coffee, whatever." said Jed as he held out his hands for the baby. 

"Sir, you have a country to run, you don't have time to baby-sit." 

"Nonsense, hand her over." 

Knowing his tone booked no argument; she handed Ari over and stood up. "I guess I know where to find you later, so..." she said. 

"Go get something to drink, talk to Leo, straighten this out." 

"It's not something that's going to straighten out that easily, sir." 

"Try it, you'll see," Jed said, jerking his thumb in the direction of the door where Leo stood. 

CJ walked into Leo's office slowly. She took a deep breath as she stood in the middle of the room. Leo hand walked to the window and was standing with his back towards her. 

"Did you have something to say CJ or are you just here cause the guy in the next office sent you in here?" he asked bitterly. 

"I know you're angry at me, and I understand why," she began quietly. "But I don't understand why you're taking it out on everyone else. If you want to say something, say it to me. Yell at me, spit at me, kick me, but do it to me, not Toby." 

"I didn't do a thing to Toby and you know it. I just walked past him without saying anything. You feel guilty, as you should, but don't blame me for that. I didn't bring this guilt upon you. You did it to yourself." 

"You don't have to tell me that," she said, her voice quavering. "I know that well enough. Don't you think that I wanted to tell you? Don't you believe that it was so hard for me to deal with it that I was scared of how you would behave when I did tell you? We have four children, Leo -- two are perfect, and two are not. And I don't know how I can deal with it anymore. I was going to tell you about Kate. I was." 

"When? Did you have a plan or did you just figure that sooner or later I would ask about the money?" 

"I didn't have a plan. Leo I never meant to hurt you." 

"Oh please, spare me." he spit out as he turned around suddenly. 

"I did, Leo. I spared you the pain of having to see how much pain she's in every day. She can't walk, she can barely sit up. She lives in a bed, Leo. She can't talk -- she can make some sounds, and we know what they mean, but she can't talk and tell us when she hurts or when she's hungry. I did what I thought was best for YOU." She closed her eyes and took a deep, quivering breath. "I never wanted to see the disgust that would be in your eyes if you saw her." 

Leo took a deep breath and glared at CJ. He couldn't believe what she had just said. It was all he could do to keep from flying into a rage like he had never known. 

"Please leave." he said quietly, fists clenched at his side, his whole body on the verge of shaking violently. 

His appearance frightened her but she knew that her leaving would be the best thing at the moment. She left without a word or even a glance back over her shoulder. 

Leo collapsed onto the couch, sobbing. Jed came in the room quietly and stood in the doorway for a minute, holding a sleeping Ari in his arms. 

He turned and left, carrying Ari back to CJ's office. CJ was sitting on the couch, putting things back into the diaper bag. 

"What happened?" Jed asked. 

"Nothing I didn't expect," CJ snapped. "I'm packing the kids up and we're going away for a while... I'm sorry, but I need to ask for a leave of absence." 

"And you're not getting it," Jed said. "Do you have any idea what Leo's doing right now?" 

"No, and frankly, I don't care," CJ spat. "I need to go see my parents, sir, so please, may I have some time off?" 

"Sure, you can have all the time you need, starting in two weeks. That should give you and Leo some time to work out whatever is going on. And even though you say you don't care, I know you do, Leo's in his office sobbing. Your husband, the man who has been through a war, fought his own battles against alcohol and pills, got me elected President and who basically runs this country is sitting on his couch crying like a baby. I'm not going to ask you why. But I will ask you, what are you going to do about it?" 

CJ took Arianna from his arms and put her back in her seat. "I'm going home. It's still too fresh a wound for me to try to help him," she snapped, picking up the seat and trying to brush by Jed. 

He grabbed her arm and said, "The least you can do is try to talk to him." 

"I tried." 

Jed just nodded and let go of her arm. 

Meanwhile Margaret was standing outside Leo's door, debating what to do. She had a bottle of water in one hand and a new box of tissues in the other. She had knocked once but she wasn't sure he even heard her. Just as she was about to knock again when Josh came up behind her. 

"He in there?" asked Josh, apparently not noticing the fact that you could hear Leo sobbing through the heavy oak door. 

Margaret just nodded as Josh finally realized why she was just standing outside the door. 

"What happened, Margaret?" 

"I'm not sure. He and CJ had a fight, something big. I have no idea. You want to try and go in?" 

"Yeah, give me those," he said taking the water and the tissues. He knocked on the door. "Leo, it's Josh, I'm coming in." He didn't get an answer and he pushed the door open slowly. 

CJ walked slowly through the office until she got to Margaret's desk. And then she noticed that Margaret was standing timidly in the doorway. 

"Margaret, I need to leave a note for Leo," CJ said, making Margaret jump about two feet straight up. 

"Why don't you just talk to him?" she snapped, glaring at CJ. "He's in there with Josh." 

CJ set Arianna's seat down on Margaret's desk. "He doesn't want to talk to me," she said quietly, trying to mask the heartbreak in her voice. "He doesn't want anything to do with me right now, and I don't blame him. I'm going home..." 

Josh stuck his head out into the outer office. "CJ, Leo wants to talk to you," he said, stepping out. "I'll take Ari over to Donna and we'll watch her for you." 

She handed the baby and the diaper bag to Josh, who looked rather comfortable as he walked down the hall with a baby on his hip and a diaper bag over his shoulder. CJ took a deep breath and pushed the door open. Leo was at his desk on the phone. He waved her in and pointed towards the couch. She quietly took a seat and waited for him to hang up. 

He hung up and regarded her with a stare. "Where do we go from here?" he asked. 

"I don't understand what you mean." 

"We have another child, CJ -- we should be taking care of her as much as we're taking care of the other three. You and I are at loggerheads, and something has got to give." 

"Leo are you even listening to yourself? Yes, we have four kids, but Leo, at the moment I don't even feel able to take care of the three that are with us. How can you suggest that we just move Kate across the country to live with people, with people she doesn't even know? We have enough turmoil at home right now. Rose and Pat can't take much more. I can't take any more, Leo, you and I can't handle any more right now." she stated plainly and simply. 

He sighed. "Fine. Yeah, you're probably right. No, scrap that -- I know you're right. But it doesn't stop me from feeling this way, CJ." 

"I know." 

"We need to find out what's wrong with Arianna." 

"Yeah," she agreed. "I'm supposed to be getting a call from a pediatric neurologist somewhere along..." 

He nodded. "But I do want to meet Kate sometime, CJ. Do you have any idea how angry I am that you would accuse me of looking on my own child with disgust?" 

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I should have never said that. I don't think that, I don't feel that way and I know you would never do that. It just...came out. I wanted to make you mad, I guess." 

"I was already mad." he said quietly. 

The phone rang and he picked it up on the second ring. It was Dr. Wilson, the pediatric neurologist. 

He passed the phone to CJ. "Hello, yes... yes... okay... this afternoon would probably be best. Yes... okay. Dr. O'Brien is who I'll be seeing? Okay, yes, thank you." She hung up and looked at Leo. "They've looked at Ari's symptoms as I described them to the doctor, and they're sending me to an autism specialist to do some tests." Her face crumpled and she began to cry. 

Leo steered her back to the couch and then went to talk to Margaret. 

"Clear my schedule for the rest of the day." 

"But Leo you have the..." 

"Margaret, please." he pleaded. 

"Sure, you need anything?" 

"Coffee, please." 

"Anything else?" 

"Something light to eat." 

"Okay, I'll be back soon," Margaret promised. 

Leo shut the door and crossed the room to sit down beside CJ. "Well, we wanted to know what's wrong with her." 

"Yeah," CJ sniffled, reaching for him. 

"Margaret's clearing my schedule and getting us something to eat. I need to go next door for a minute and I'll go get the baby. You'll be ok?" 

"Yeah" she whispered as she stretched out on the couch. 

Leo talked to Jed for a while. Revealing nothing about Kate and very little about Arianna, other than to say they had an appointment with the doctor. 

He passed Toby in the hall. They stopped and looked at each other for a second. Leo started to apologize but Toby cut him off. 

"It's not necessary, Leo. Don't worry about it." 

"Thank you." 

By the time Leo arrived at Josh's office Arianna had made herself quite comfortable. Josh had his feet propped up on the desk, the baby in his lap and a report in one hand. He was stroking Ari's blond hair with his other hand as he read. 

"That look suits you." said Leo as he stepped into the room. 

"Hey, thanks..." 

"You're welcome. Look, we've got an appointment with the doctor for this little bundle of sunshine in a while, so I'm gonna take her back to my office." 

"No problem -- I was getting drooled out anyway," Josh quipped as Leo picked her up and a long tendril of drool strung out between them. Arianna began to get angry fussy and then went into a full-fledged screaming fit. 

Leo sighed. 

Arianna screamed the whole way over to the doctor's office. Dr. O'Brien took them right away and fortunately Arianna had cried herself to sleep by that time. Dr. O'Brien took a long time to talk to them about their fears, their observations, their concerns. 

"Okay, I'm going to take her into the other room and we're going to do a few tests while she's sleeping," Dr O'Brien said with a comforting smile as he carefully picked Arianna up in a way that would keep her supported but not put any extra pressure on her body. 

"Okay..." CJ said quietly. 

They wait nervously while Arianna was in the other room. CJ sat straight up in her chair, not moving. Leo fidgeted, getting up to walk around, reading the diplomas on the wall, scanning the medical texts on the shelf. At last Dr. O'Brien came back in the room with Arianna in his arms. 

"We're going to need a while to look over the test results," he said gently, "but from what I'm seeing, she does have a form of autism. I just can't pinpoint which form until we have the results, and we do a few more tests." 

CJ nodded stiffly and had to leave the room to collect herself. Leo squeezed her hand as she left, knowing exactly how she felt. He took the baby from the doctor. 

"We'll be back in a few minutes." 

"I know this is a lot to take in at once. Take your time." 

Leo found CJ outside leaning against the car, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. 

He reached for her hand, pulling her to him. "I love you and I love Ari and the others, and we're gonna get through this," he whispered into her ear. 

"I don't know if I can, Leo." 

"You can, you're strong -- and remember what I said during the Grand Jury investigation? If one of us lags, the other will come back. We won't break, CJ." 

She nodded stiffly, then said, "You notice that the doctor looks a lot like Jenny?" 

Leo laughed. "Well, that was totally random." 

"Well, he does," CJ protested. 

"He should -- he's her brother, Claudia." 

"Her brother? You were going to tell me this, when?" she asked as she reached to take the baby from him. 

"CJ, it wasn't something I was going to keep from you. He's the best in his field and that's all we need to worry about. Doesn't matter that he was my brother in law." 

"I suppose it doesn't. Let's go back in and talk to him. See what our next step is." 

Rory O'Brien was sitting on the edge of his desk with a big book when they came back in. He smiled mildly. "I can see Leo told you who I am, and I can see you were ready to climb in the car and bolt, Mrs. McGarry. We haven't had the pleasure of being properly introduced..." 

"CJ," she replied. 

"You have a beautiful daughter, you two. Jenny's getting married again in a couple of weeks -- she's happy, and now that she is, she's glad you two are." Snapping the book closed, he said, "The next step is to complete a battery of tests that will determine exactly what type of autism she has. Many of them will be complicated in that she is so young, but... Overall, these tests will take about 30 hours, spread out over a couple of weeks." 

He paused to give them some time to digest this information. CJ realized that she was going to have sit down with Jed and Leo to work out some arrangements as far as coming back to work. Leo was thinking the same thing and he turned to her. "Don't worry about work, we'll think of something." 

"Call my office in a few days and we will set up a schedule. Here is some information that may be useful to you," he said as he handed Leo a handfuls of pamphlets. We'll be in touch." 

He shook both of their hands and patted Ari's little arm before leaving them alone in the office. 

"This just sucks," CJ said with disgust as she took Arianna from Leo's arms and tucked her into the seat again. "Let's go home, please." 

"Okay," Leo said, not remembering or caring that it was only 2:30 in the afternoon and that he should be in the office, dealing with another one of John Hoynes screw-ups. 

When they were driving home, CJ's cell phone rang. With a heavy sigh, she answered it. "Speak to me... yeah... Daddy? What's... oh shit. Yeah... okay, yeah... damn. I didn't need this today... Yeah... I'll catch a flight as soon as I can make arrangements... No, it's okay -- I'll let Toby know. I love you, too. Give her a kiss and tell her I'll be there soon, please. Yeah... bye." She hung up and immediately reached for the small folder of airline numbers she always kept in the glove compartment. 


	3. McGarry House of Hell 3

**McGarry House of Hell**

**by: Ginny and Becky**

**Pairing(s):** CJ/Leo  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Disclaimer:** The usual, not mine etc.  
**Summary:** Further adventures of the McGarry clan. Sequel to "You Could Drive A Person Crazy"  
**Feedback:** Feedback is appreciated.  


* * *

Part 3 

"What's wrong?" 

"Kate's not eating and doctor is worried about dehydration and stuff. He wants to put her in the hospital for a day or two. I have to go out there." 

"I know, I'll go with you." 

"No, not this time. Not because I want to keep you away from her but you need to stay with Rose and Pat, things are too busy at work. I'll take the baby and we'll be back in a few days." 

Leo nodded in agreement as he pulled the car into their driveway. 

CJ sighed and dialed the American Airlines reservations line. "Leo, can I drop a name and get first class?" she asked absently, pulling out one of her credit cards. 

"You don't have to ask me that, and you don't have to drop names. Just ask for a first class seat," Leo said, rolling his eyes and getting Ari out of her carseat. After years of marriage, CJ still didn't understand or fully-comprehend that what was his was hers as well. 

CJ made reservations for 9 that night. That would give her time to see the kids, pack, and hopefully talk to Toby and let him know what was going on. She called him as soon as she got in the house. He was in a meeting but Ginger promised to have him call as soon as he was free. 

CJ went into the kitchen and opened the fridge, desperate to find something easy to fix for a snack, since she hadn't had lunch. She settled on some leftover spaghetti-os and a bowl of pistachio pudding, wondering when all of the kids' junk food was going to catch up with her and deal a health blow from which she wouldn't recover. She was already addicted to Kraft macaroni and cheese. 

Toby called back just as Michelle came in the front door with Rose and Pat. 

CJ tried to talk to him but the kids were alternately clinging to her and racing around the kitchen. 

"Hey, CJ. Why don't I come over there, talk face to face? Things are slow here for a change. I'll be there in 20 minutes." 

"OK, good." 

She hung up the phone and hugged the kids. 

"Hey, you guys," she said with a wide smile that betrayed the failure she felt. "Tell me about school, Rosie... what did you do today?" 

"Nothing." 

"Oh. Well, Pat, what did you do today?" 

"Finger-painted!" 

"I can see that," she held up his little pudgy hands that were still stained purple and green. 

"You guys sit down for a minute. I have to tell you something." 

"What is it Mom, I have homework." said Rose in the newly acquired snotty tone that drove her parents nuts. 

"I have to go away for a few days. I'm going to take Ari with me." 

"How come she gets to go and we have to stay home?" asked Rose. 

"Well, two reasons, one, you and your brother have school, and two, the bigger reason, Ari will probably get pretty hungry without me." 

"Oh yeah" laughed Rose. 

CJ laughed with her, happy to hear some laughter in the house for a change. 

"I'll miss you, mommy," Pat whined, wrapping himself around her and refusing to let go. 

"I know, sweetie, but it's just for a few days, and Daddy will stay here with you, and you'll have Michelle..." 

"But I want my momma!" Pat shrieked. 

CJ looked up at Leo helplessly. 

"Pat, come here for a minute," said Leo as he took his son's hand and led him to the couch. "It's only for a few days. How about when Mommy's gone you and I can spend some time together?" 

"Can I come to work with you?" 

"Sure, you can come with me tomorrow." 

"What about me?" asked Rose. 

"Well, tomorrow you have a class trip but how about Michelle drops you off after school? Deal?" 

"Deal" 

CJ smiled at Leo as the doorbell rang. "I'll take the kids outside for a while so you and Toby can talk." 

"Uncle Toby?" yelled the kids as they ran to the front door. Rose opened the door and they threw themselves at Toby who luckily heard them through the door and was ready for the two little bodies that hurtled towards him. 

He grunted and scooped them both up for a hug. "How're my favorite little pests?" he asked with an almost smile that was as close to a smile as he ever got. 

"We're not pests!" Rose protested, kissing the top of his bald head as he presented it to her. That was something she never got tired of. 

"Come on, kids, we're going to the park," Leo said. "And then we're gonna pick up some pizza on the way home..." They were out the door in a flash. 

CJ motioned towards the couch as she went in the kitchen to grab some iced tea for the two of them. Toby bent down to take a look at Ari, who was asleep in the porta-crib. 

"OK, what's up? You sounded a little frazzled on the phone, more than usual, I mean." he smiled. 

"Cute," she muttered as she handed him a glass and sat down next to him. 

"What's up?" he asked, sipping his tea. 

"Well, we're very slowly finding out what's wrong with Ari. She's got to have like, I dunno... 30 hours of tests done, and I'm just overwhelmed by that, and then Daddy called and said Kate's not eating and they want you and me to come out and talk to her. I guess, because Mommy and Uncle Toby are the only ones that can get her to do anything, and goddamnit, Toby..." She began to cry, pushing her glass of tea away on the coffee table top, leaving a streak of liquid across the precious mahogany that she was usually so proud of. Now she just didn't care. 

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry," he said as he gave her a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Of course I'll come with you. Did you make reservations?" 

"Yeah, 9 tonight. Are you going to be able to make that? I know it's like no notice whatsoever." 

"I'll work something out, don't worry." 

"Leo will help cover both of our asses," she said with a certainty she didn't quite feel. "He wanted to come, but I don't think I could handle it -- besides, they need him too much here. The kids and the President and the country -- we know nothing gets done when Leo's not there. We know that all too well..." She sighed. "I need something tall and frosty and overly alcoholic. And something small and smoky... But Leo would kill me if I started smoking again, or even drink when I'm nursing..." 

"Yeah," Toby said quietly. "I'll buy a big box of sugary Godiva for you to eat on the plane." He knew if given the opportunity, she would eat the whole box. 

"Thanks," she said, her voice mildly annoyed that he knows her so much better than even Leo does. "It's a non-stop from Dulles to Sacramento, then we get on a commuter plane about noon. First class the first flight, three across -- I'll put Ari's carseat in the middle, and you can have the window seat." 

"Sure give me the window seat in the middle of the night." teased Toby. "And let me guess, on the commuter flight we have to flap our arms really fast?" 

"Very funny. Look you'd better go and get packed. Where do you want me to pick you up, home or at work?" 

"Home. I'll be ready by 7." 

"OK. Look Toby, thanks, for everything." 

He kissed her cheek. "You're welcome." 

She kissed him back, and smiled. "You're a lifesaver, you know." 

"I know. I'm also full of sugar..." 

She snorted. "I'll see you at seven." 

"Yeah. Bring a book for me, will ya? I don't wanna get stuck with memos the whole way there." 

CJ finished packing just as Leo and kids got back home with the pizza. She had fed Ari and put her in the bouncy seat, where she sat contentedly while everyone else ate. She had just enough time to read a quick story to Rose and Pat before leaving to pick up Toby. 

"Hey, climb in," she said as he came out with his bags. "Make yourself at home -- can you take the rag and wipe Ari's mouth for me? Her lips are getting chapped because she's drooling so much..." She waited until Toby was in the car and seat belted before kicking them into gear and taking off down the street. "Thanks." 

"No problem -- you bring enough stuff for the baby?" he asked. 

"I think so, and if not, there are plenty of places to pick up diapers and stuff like that." She sighed. 

"You sure you don't want Leo to come instead of me?" he asked. 

"No, Toby, I'm not sure, but I really don't have a choice, do I?" she snapped. 

"OK. I was just asking." 

The rest of the drive to Dulles was spent in slightly uncomfortable silence. CJ dropped Toby and the baby at the terminal and went to put the car in long-term parking. Apparently Ari had started to fuss the minute she drove away cause Toby was pacing the terminal with her while keeping one eye on their luggage. 

"Here," CJ insisted, taking Ari from him once she got there. "She's hungry," she said unnecessarily, pulling a bottle out of the diaper bag and plugging it into Ari's mouth unceremoniously as they headed for their gate. They checked in and sat in silence, waiting to board. 

Being in first class and traveling with an infant certainly had its advantages. The flight attendants went out of their way to help them on the plane and get them settled. Toby ended up putting the baby by the window and taking the middle seat himself as it was dark and cloudy anyway. 

Ari dozed off as they taxied to the runway. Takeoff was smooth and by some miracle the baby slept through it. CJ and Toby read in silence for a while, not paying attention to the in-flight movie. Somewhere over the mid-west Toby nodded off with his head on CJ's shoulder. 

She smiled and reached for the air phone to call Leo. When he picked up, she said, "Hey, it's me." 

"Hey you -- it's quiet." 

"Yeah, they're both sleeping." 

"That's good... I wish I was there with you." 

"I know, but..." 

"No buts, Claudia." 

"Yeah," she said very quietly. "I'll call you when we get on the ground, okay?" 

"Okay. I love you both." 

"I love you too, Leo." 

"Talk to you later." 

She hung up the phone with a sigh. Toby shifted in his sleep and moved to away from her without really waking up. CJ leaned across Toby to check on Ari, she was still sound asleep. 

With the knowledge that she was quiet, CJ nodded off herself. She didn't wake up until Ari began fussing, needing a diaper change. 

Toby grumbled in his sleep, and CJ poked him. She pulled Ari out of the seat and took her to the lavatory and changed her diaper. "You need to be quiet, darling," CJ whispered as they walked back to their seats. 

Ari looked at her, screwed up her face and started screaming. That woke Toby up instantly. He stood up to let CJ take the middle seat so she could nurse Arianna. 

CJ managed to calm her down fairly quickly. Which was a good thing considering the three well-dressed business travelers that were seated across the aisle from them didn't really seem like the type to take kindly to a screaming infant in first class. 

The rest of the flight went by without any major tantrums from either Arianna, or Toby for that matter. He was quiet, pretending to read and sleep for the remaining few hours. CJ tried a few time to start a conversation with him but each attempt was met with grunts, sighs and general disinterest. She tried not to take it personally. After all she did drag him across the country on 4 hours notice. Things had been rough at work for a few weeks and he was exhausted. She glanced over at him. He had his eyes closed but was obviously not sleeping. She pressed a kiss to his temple and whispered, "Thank you." 

He kind of grunted and sighed in reply, but she knew that meant, "you're welcome". Closing her eyes, she drifted off to sleep, waking up only as they began to descend and Arianna whined in her sleep. She put the baby back in her car seat and got ready to land. 

They stumbled sleepily off the plane and into the terminal. They took turns using the restrooms and watching the baby. Finally they settled down with two huge cups of coffee and something to eat. 

CJ sighed. "And now we wait." 

"How long?" Toby grumbled. 

"Till noon." 

"Why don't we just rent a car -- it'd be faster." 

"Yeah, but... Ari in a car, Toby, is not a pretty sound." 

"Yeah," he agreed. "She's a little bitch, isn't she?" 

"Definitely," CJ agreed. "But she can't help it." 

"Yeah, kind of like her..." 

"Tobias Ziegler, stop right there," warned CJ with a gleam in her eye. 

He grinned and turned his attention back to his coffee and CNN, which was playing on the nearby television set. 

CJ went back to eating her breakfast and didn't pay much attention to the TV. She wondered why, suddenly, she didn't care so much about her job and world events as she did her family. It had always been the other way around -- until Arianna was born. 

She motioned to Toby that she was going to take a walk over to the newsstand for a minute. He waved her away and went back to watching TV. She stood in front of the magazine rack for a long time, nothing catching her interest in the news magazine section, most of their contents were old news to her. She grabbed Cosmo, Parents and a pack of Juicy Fruit gum. At the counter she picked up a newspaper for Toby. She paid for her purchases and headed back across the terminal. 

The wait was boring as all hell, but then they were on another little plane and on their way at lunchtime. 

When they landed, Toby headed off to pick up the rental car and CJ sat down to give Ari her bottle. "Poor baby," she said quietly as Ari rubbed her ears in annoyance and then rubbed her eyes tiredly. 

They settled in for the drive. It was a gorgeous day out and Ari seemed to be content to watch the scenery from the back seat. CJ called her parents and told them they would be there within the hour. As she watched the landscape go by she could feel Toby glancing from the road to her, obviously deciding whether or not to say something. 

"Whatever it is, just say it Toby." she sighed wearily. 

"I shouldn't be here, Leo should." 

"I know, but he can't be," she said, rubbing her eyes and sighing. "You know he's too important in the administration to just drop everything and come with me. It was bad enough yesterday when he dropped everything to come to Arianna's appointment with me, dammit." She crossed her arms over her chest protectively. "It's the price of being married to him." 

"I suppose you both agreed that I would be the best choice?" 

"No, Toby, I thought you'd be, because, well... Kate loves you. She knows you. We stand a better chance of getting her to do something with you and me both here." 

"Okay." 

"And Leo can't stand being with the kids on a plane." 

"Ah." 

"Yeah, you'd think he'd be used to it by now, actually. We've certainly all flown enough." she said for no particular reason other than to keep some conversation going in the car. 

"Yeah... want to find something on the radio?" Toby asked. 

"It'll wake Ari up," she said hesitantly. 

"Shit," Toby muttered. 

CJ sighed and pulled out her cell phone, dialing Leo's office. 

He was in a meeting with Jed but Margaret said she would give him the message as soon as he got out of the Oval. 

Just as the silence in the car became almost too much to bare Toby steered the car off the main road and onto the gravel drive leading to the Cregg family home. CJ ran her hands through her hair and pulled down the mirror to put on some lipstick. 

"CJ, you look fine." he said as he parked the car in the driveway. 

She glanced over at him. "How would you know?" she shot back. "You haven't looked at me once since we left Washington." 

He sighed and looked at her. "You look fine." 

"Whatever." 

She took a deep breath and opened the car door. Toby had already unhooked Ari's seat by the time she stretched her legs and walked around to the other side of the car. She held out her hand for the seat but Toby shook his head and carried it himself. CJ's parents had just come out onto the porch to greet them. 

"Hi, sweetie," Thomas said, pulling CJ into a big hug. "Sorry we had to call you like this -- where's Leo?" 

"He couldn't leave Washington," CJ replied quietly, moving to hug her mother. "Where is she?" 

"Still in her room -- we won't do anything until we've seen if you and Toby can do something for her." 

"OK" said CJ softly. "You ready?" she asked, turning towards Toby. 

He nodded and handed the baby to Lilian. They walked slowly into the house and down the hall to Kate's bedroom. CJ reached out and squeezed Toby's hand as she pushed the door open. 

"Hi, Katie," she said brightly as she walked into the room. 

There was a gurgle from the bed, and CJ stepped forward. "I know I've been gone a long time, sweetheart, but I'm gonna be here a few days, okay? And look who I brought with me -- it's Uncle Toby!" She reached out to take Kate's hand in her own. "Look at you -- you've grown like a beanpole since I saw you last!" 

Toby sat down on the edge of the bed and brushed back Kate's blond hair. He kissed her forehead. 

"Hey kid. Sorry it's been a while." he said as he took her other hand. 

He looked at Kate and for the first time ever he realized just how much she looked like her father. And something about that realization made him extremely uncomfortable, sad even. He shouldn't be here, Leo should. 

"Toby..Toby..." 

He turned to see CJ, who had obviously been trying to get his attention. "You ok?" 

He swallowed hard and nodded. 

"Good, I'm going to go to the kitchen and get some food. You ok here with Kate?" she asked, eyeing him warily. 

"Of course, we'll be fine." 

CJ nodded, not quite believing him, and headed downstairs to get some food. As she started back up the stairs, Arianna started screaming. It wasn't a hungry scream or even a "I have a dirty diaper" scream. It was her patented "I want Mommy" scream. 

"Shit," CJ muttered, glancing back up the stairs, then down towards the living room. "Shit shit shit shit shit!" she muttered, turning to go back downstairs and retrieve Arianna from her mother before running upstairs with the plate of food for Kate. 

She managed to make it up the stairs with a plateful of food in one hand and a screaming infant in the other. 

"She hungry too?" asked Toby pointing towards Ari. 

"I don't know," she muttered as she handed the plate to Toby and glanced at her watch. It was still on DC time. She sighed wearily, almost too tired to figure out the 3-hour time difference in her head. "Yeah, she's probably hungry." 

"Well, you feed her cause I, well, can't...I'll feed Kate." 

CJ settled down in the overstuffed chair next to the bed to nurse the baby while she watched Toby prop Kate up with some pillows and try to get her to eat something. 

Kate ignored Toby and watched her mother and little sister with rapt attention. She made a noise that CJ recognized as her call for her mother, and sighed. "Katie, sweetheart, wait just a minute, please," CJ begged. 

Toby grunted and gave up. "Ceej, this isn't going to work." 

"That's fine, I'll be done here in a few minutes. Kate looks content to watch her little sister. Right sweetie?" 

Toby put the plate of food on the nightstand and walked over to look out the window. He stared out over the vineyard for a few minutes while CJ finished nursing the baby. His cell phone rang just as CJ was trying to get Ari to burp. 

"Yeah. Hi Sam, what's up? No, I don't want to change that line. Trust me, it is better the way it is...no that's not just cause wrote the line. Hold on a sec." He looked over CJ and took the baby from her. Settling Ari against his shoulder he returned to his conversation while walking down the stairs. Just as he reached the landing Ari burped and spit up on him. 

"You ok, Toby?" asked Sam with a laugh. 

"Oh, shut up, Arianna just puked on me. I gotta go. Call me later." 

He tossed the phone on the small table in the hall and went to the kitchen to look for some assistance. Lilian took the baby from him and he cleaned off his shirt. 

"Toby, I'll keep the baby for a while. Why don't you go relax somewhere? You look tired." said Lilian. 

"Thanks" he replied, kissing her cheek and the top of Ari's head. He wandered out onto the porch and sat in the swing. 

CJ sat beside Kate on the edge of the bed, balancing the plate of food. "Sweetie, you've got to eat," she murmured gently. "Open up, please." 

Kate obligingly opened her mouth and let her mother feed her some cooked carrots. 

"That's my good girl," CJ cooed, knowing she was talking as much to a baby as a pre-teen. "More?" 

Kate finished chewing and opened her mouth again. 

CJ fed her and told her about Rose and Pat and Ari, not telling her about Leo just yet. She reasoned that Kate might not even understand what she was saying about the other children, so why bother bringing Leo into it yet. 

She got Kate to eat most of what was on the plate. Her father wandered in the room as she was braiding Kate's hair. 

"How'd she do?" 

"Pretty well. Where did Toby and Arianna get to?" 

"Ari's with Mom and I think Toby's on the porch swing. Is he ok Claudia? He looks tired and not exactly thrilled to be here." 

CJ sighed. "I told Leo about Kate. And now Toby seems to think that, I don't know, that maybe he won't be needed anymore. I tried to assure him that that would never be the case. He wasn't thrilled about coming but I needed him to, I just wasn't ready for Leo to meet Kate. Soon, but not just yet." 

Thomas nodded. "I understand, honey. But I need to ask if you think you'll be able to take her somewhere along. Mom and I aren't young anymore, and it's a lot of hard work taking care of her." 

"I don't know, dad... I... We're having problems with Ari right now, and Rose and Pat are pissed at me enough, I don't know if..." 

"Kate remembers Rose, you know." 

"Yeah, I know." CJ sighed. 

"Why don't you go check on Toby? I'll stay here." 

"Thanks, Daddy." 

CJ stopped in the kitchen for something to drink and then wandered out onto the porch. Toby was sound asleep in the swing, one hand propping his head up, the other wrapped around a glass of lemonade. She took the glass from him before settling down in the rocker. 

Deciding to let him sleep, she went back inside and headed upstairs to her room to make it ready for the night. She was just getting the sheets spread on the portable crib when her cell phone rang. She grabbed it and said, "Hey..." 

"Hi," Leo replied. "You guys get in okay?" 

"Yeah -- Ari's had a couple of humdinger tantrums today already, but Kate's eating a little bit... she just won't eat for anyone but me." 

"And your sidekick?" asked Leo with a bit of sarcasm. 

"Asleep on the porch swing." 

"CJ, I've been thinking about something, maybe you could enlighten me a little." 

"Sure, what?" 

"Years ago, when you and Rose first came to help out with the campaign, Rose used to mention visiting a friend of hers who didn't talk. Was that Kate?" 

"Yeah." 

"So you obviously never told her that they are sisters?" 

"Nope." 

"Why?" 

"Because she was too young to understand. Even now, I don't know if she'd understand." 

"Give her a little credit, CJ." 

"Leo, I really don't..." 

"CJ." 

"Yeah?" 

"I talked to your dad while you were en route." 

"Oh." 

"I think we need to bring her home." 

She sighed deeply into the phone. "I know." she whispered. "We'll talk about it when I get home and then we will make the necessary arrangements. So how's Pat doing at the office today?" she asked, eager to redirect the conversation. 

"Good. He played with Legos under the Kennedy desk during staff this morning. He wandered around with Margaret for a while. I have a dinner meeting with Jed so Josh and Donna are taking him out for dinner." 

"Oh, Chuck E. Cheese?" 

"No, I don't think Donna will be taking Josh back there anytime soon." chuckled Leo. "They are going to grab hot dogs on the mall and take a walk. Rose is dining with Abbey and Zoey in the residence. She had a good time on her trip today." 

"That's good. Give them a kiss for me." 

"I will, you kiss Ari for me. I'll call you in the morning. Love you." 

"Love you too." 

"I miss you," she said quietly. 

"Yeah, I know -- I miss you, too. It's too quiet," he teased. 

"OOOH!" she giggled. "You're mean!" 

"Yeah -- I'll talk to you later, okay?" 

"Okay. Love you." 

"Bye." 

She hung up and finished tucking the sheet in. When that was done, she went down the hall to Kate's room to talk to her. 

Kate was curled up in bed, staring blankly at the small television set on the dresser. CJ turned off the TV and sat down next to Kate on the bed. 

"Hey, kiddo. Mommy's has to talk to you about something." she sighed and wondered how much, if any, Kate really understood. 

Kate moaned when CJ shut off the TV, but then directed all of her attention at her mother. 

"Do you remember Rose, sweetheart? Your little sister Rose?" She was rewarded with an almost imperceptible nod. "You have another little brother and sister, too. Your brother's name is Pat, and your other sister is Ari. Would you like to come live with them? With me?" she asked, not expecting a response of any kind. 

She was startled when Kate smiled and laughed. Taking that as a sign she decided to tell her about Leo. 

"Your Daddy lives with us too. His name is Leo. He's...he's great. Did you know you look a lot like him? Well, you do. He can't wait to meet you, ya know." 

Kate continued to smile as CJ told her all about their house in DC, about her siblings and Leo. 

"And just wait till you meet Uncle Jed and Aunt Abbey," CJ said, as Kate began to fall asleep. "They'll love you so much..." She picked up the washcloth and cleaned up Kate's face, finally beginning to understand that this was what she wanted to do. She really wanted to take care of her children, not just go through the motions like she had been doing for so long. She bent down and kissed Kate goodnight, and when she turned around, Toby was standing in the doorway. 

"You're going to quit, aren't you?" he asked with a heavy sigh. 

"I'm going to talk to Leo first, but yeah, I think I am." 

She searched Toby's face for some kind of reaction. None was forthcoming. 

"Toby, say something, please.' she pleaded softly as she ushered him out of the room and down the stairs. She led him to the kitchen and motioned for him to sit at the counter. 

"I think it's great. It's the right thing for you to do now." 

"Do you really believe that, or are you just trying to avoid a difficult conversation?" 

"Claudia Jean, I have never lied to you about anything to do with your kids. I truly believe you need to be home with the kids at this point. For your sake as well as theirs." 

She nodded. "Okay. I don't think Jed will see it the same way, necessarily, but..." She inhaled sharply. "Yeah." 

"If you ever need help, you know where to find the best baby-sitting network on the planet," he teased wryly. 

"Yeah, and we always have Uncle Toby," she said with a smile as she kissed him on the cheek. 

"Funny. So how about some dinner?" 

"Sounds good. Where are my parents, by the way."? 

"I sent them out to eat. They need a break." 

"And they'll be getting a long one, soon." 

He chuckled. "They took Ari and a couple of bottles and the diaper bag with them." 

"So much for a break," she chuckled. 

"Yeah, well -- what do you expect?" 

"They'll come home wishing I'd left her with Leo," CJ said with a smirk, following Toby to the fridge. 

He grabbed a pan of leftover lasagna and handed it to her over his shoulder as he reached for the grated cheese and the butter. 

Ten minutes later they were at the kitchen table eating their dinner and drinking wine. 

She sighed and ran her fingertip around the edge of her goblet. 

"What's the matter?" he asked. 

"I miss Leo." She smiled sadly. "And I'm a little scared, y'know." 

"Yeah," Toby agreed. 

They ate in silence for a few more minutes. 

"CJ? Are things ok between you and Leo?" 

"Yeah, I think so. I mean, we're having a little trouble right now because of the kids, but I think we're fine." 

"OK. More wine?" 

"No, thanks. One glass limit for nursing mothers." she said. 

"Oh yeah." 

She laughed. "You know, you always forget that part," she giggled. 

Toby stood up, and hushed her. 

"Shit," CJ muttered, getting up and heading for the steps. Kate was awake and making a lot of noise. 

She was halfway up the stairs when the house began shaking. She ran the rest of the way up the stairs with Toby right behind her. He scooped Kate up in his arms and the three of them made their way back down the stairs as the shaking started to subside. 

Kate lay in Toby's arms, her babbling subsiding into frightened noises. CJ pulled them into a doorframe and soothed her daughter. "It's okay, sweetheart, mommy's here," she whispered as an aftershock trembled through the house. Pots and pans fell off the racks in the kitchen and she heard a loud thud from upstairs. Not wanting to think about it, she protected Kate's head and tried not the think of a line from a movie that went something like, "Get in a doorway, put your head between your knees, and kiss your ass goodbye." 

As quickly as it had hit, the earthquake ended and the house stood still. Motioning for Toby to say in the doorway with Kate, CJ got up to survey the damage. There didn't seem to be anything major, just things that had fallen off of the walls, the table, the shelves. Even though she knew it would be dead, she picked up the phone anyway to check. Nothing. She tried to remember where her cell phone was on the off chance that that might work. 

She had left it in Kate's room. She went up the stairs slowly, checking for any damage that might have been done, even though she didn't really expect any, and went down the hall to Kate's room. 

"Oh my God," she breathed. Part of the ceiling had collapsed in on the bed. She tried to make her way through the dust, and managed to find her phone on the floor. 

She turned it on and tried to dial out -- success. 

"CJ?" she heard Leo yell before she even got a chance to say anything. 

"Yeah, it's me. Kate and I are fine. Ari's with mom and Dad, they went to dinner. I have to get a hold of them. I love you." 

Leo hung up the phone with trembling hands as he turned the sound up on the television. He had been watching CNN in his office waiting for a phone call. Pat was asleep on the couch and Rose was still in the residence. 

Jed came running in the room a minute later. 

"Did she call?" 

"She and...she's fine but Ari is with her parents, she's trying to get a hold of them." 

"Toby?" 

"He's fine," Leo said 

"God dammit, pick up the phone," CJ whispered. "Pick up the goddamned PHONE!" Her parent's cell phone kept ringing, but no one picked up. She ran downstairs, car keys in hand. "Toby, where did they say they were going for dinner?" 

"I don't know, CJ, they didn't..." 

"FUCK!" she yelled. "Take care of Kate, please -- I have to find them." 

She climbed in the rental car, cursing Toby and his short legs as she struggled to push the seat back. As she turned onto the main road she made a mental list of her parent's favorite places to eat. She decided to start with their favorite coffee shop in town. All their friends ate there and it would be a good place to go if you were showing off your newest grandchild. 


	4. McGarry House of Hell 4

**McGarry House of Hell**

**by: Ginny and Becky**

**Pairing(s):** CJ/Leo  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Disclaimer:** The usual, not mine etc.  
**Summary:** Further adventures of the McGarry clan. Sequel to "You Could Drive A Person Crazy"  
**Feedback:** Feedback is appreciated.  


* * *

Part 4 

CJ was in tears by the time she saw them outside, holding a screaming Ari. "Oh thank God!" she shouted, barely managing to get the emergency brake on before she was out of the car and taking her daughter out of her mother's arms. "Oh, God, I was so worried -- your phone... you didn't pick up..." 

"We left it in the car," Thomas sighed. "That'll teach us -- how're things at the house?" 

"The ceiling in Kate's room collapsed." 

"Oh God! Was she..." 

"Toby got her out before it did," CJ said, kissing Ari. 

Thomas saw CJ was shaking so he steered her to a bench in front of the coffee house. CJ gave her Dad Toby's cellphone number and asked him to call and let Toby know they were fine. As Ari settled down in her arms the emotions of the past hour caught up with CJ and the tears started to fall. 

She rocked the baby and sobbed as a couple of minor aftershocks shook them a little, but not enough to do any harm. 

Her mother felt so helpless, but rubbed her back and tried to say something to comfort her anyway. 

Thomas joined them after getting a hold of Toby. Kate had settled down and was back to sleep on the couch. Toby was going to call Leo to tell him that everyone was fine. 

"Let's go home." CJ said as she wiped her eyes. 

"Yeah," Thomas agreed. "You shouldn't drive, sweetie -- come in the car with your mom and I'll take your car back." 

"Okay," CJ said quietly, swiping at her eyes. "Ready to go home, sweetpea?" she asked Ari, who had finally calmed down and was now gurgling, her fingers stuck in her mouth. 

CJ all but collapsed in Toby's arms when they got back to the house. He led her inside and steered her towards a chair in the living room, next to where Kate was sound asleep. 

He held her and comforted her until she was asleep, and then he called Leo on his cellphone, thanking God the batteries weren't dead yet. 

"Leo, I don't care what the President says, you get your ass out here as soon as you can," Toby growled. 

The sound of Toby yelling woke CJ. She smiled at him and he motioned towards the phone, silently asking her if she wanted to talk to Leo. She thought about it and shook her head no. He nodded, yelled at Leo for another few minutes and hung up. 

"You gave it to him good, didn't you?" she teased. 

"He's coming out as soon as he can get on Marine One," Toby said with a smile. "It did the trick, didn't it?" 

"Yeah," she laughed. "But I'm not sure I want him to come," she said, sobering a little. 

"Get over it -- he's coming." 

"OK," she muttered under her breath. 

By late afternoon the next day CJ was almost done helping her Dad and Toby clean up the mess in the house. Her mom was watching the girls and keeping an eye out for Leo. Just as CJ was debating whether or not she had time to take a quick shower a car pulled into the driveway and Leo got out. 

She watched through the front window as her father welcomed Leo and brought him inside. She knew she looked terrible -- like a thousand miles of bad road -- but she wasn't prepared for his reaction when he saw her. 

His eyes widened and he just came and hugged her as she began crying again. Within a minute he was crying too. Everyone left them alone in the kitchen with Arianna. Leo took his daughter in his arms and held her tight as he calmed himself down. 

"Where's Kate?" 

"She's upstairs with Toby. The ceiling in her room collapsed so she's in the guest room. Are you ready to meet her?" she asked softly. 

Leo nodded and smiled at her. "Yes." 

"Okay," she said quietly, taking his hand. They went upstairs, past Kate's room, where Leo was greeted with what was left of the devastation. 

"My God..." he whispered. 

"Yeah," she sighed, continuing down the hall to the room where Toby and Kate were. 

"Now, to be an orator..." Toby was saying as CJ pushed open the door. 

"To be an orator, mi compadre, first you have to speak," CJ pointed out. 

"We're working on that." he smirked as he ruffled Kate's hair and stood up to leave. He held his hands out towards the baby and CJ hesitated for a second before handing her off. 

Leo followed CJ into the room slowly. 

CJ moved to Kate's bedside and smiled. "Hi, sweetie -- we're trying to clean up your room, so we can get you back in there, but it's kind of slow-going. But I'll bring the TV in tonight, so you can watch cartoons, okay?" She kissed Kate's cheek and smiled. "You remember I told you about Leo?" 

Kate made a loud shrieking noise and smiled. 

"Yeah, that's right, sweetheart. Would you like to meet Leo? Would you like to meet daddy?" 

Kate smiled again and CJ held out her hand to Leo. He took it and sat down next to Kate. 

"Hi Kate" was all he could whisper before he starting crying. CJ moved to put her arm around him as he took Kate's hand in his. 

Kate started babbling and smiling in words only she understood, but whatever they were, they had to be good -- a glowing approval, would be the right term. She took her hand from Leo's and patted his cheek very gently, and saying, "Da..." 

CJ nearly fainted and then started screaming for Toby. He came running up the stairs faster than he thought possible. 

"What's wrong?" he asked breathlessly. 

"She spoke, she tried to say Daddy." exclaimed CJ excitedly. 

"CJ, it was probably a reflex action..." 

"NO!" she said, shaking him by the shoulders. "You don't understand -- she looked right at him, patted him on the cheek, and tried to day daddy!" 

"Okay, okay!" Toby said as she shook him to get the point across. "Woman, calm down!" 

"Where are mom and dad?" 

"They took Ari into town to buy her some more diapers." 

"I brought plenty..." 

"I kind of... uh... screwed up a few." 

"A few?" she teased, "I had enough for 5 days." 

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." he muttered as he sat down next to Kate. 

"Ya know kid, I'm a little disappointed. You just met him," he said pointing to Leo, "I've known you all your life, you should be saying my name." 

Kate gurgled a bit and smiled. Toby leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I'm going to go downstairs, so you can spend some time with your parents. See you later." 

He patted Leo's shoulder and kissed CJ on the cheek before leaving them alone. 

Leo smiled at CJ, and then down at Kate, albeit a little tearfully. "You're such a big girl," he said, rubbing her hand with his. "I'm sorry, sweetie -- I'm sorry I didn't come before now." 

Kate laughed and patted his cheek again. 

CJ stood back away from them, letting them get acclimated, but Kate looked over at her and squealed, apparently wanting her to come over. 

CJ sat next to her and took her other hand. She looked at Leo with tears in her eyes as for the first time they were together as a family. Seeing Leo with Kate made her realize that taking Kate home with them was the only thing they could do. They needed to be a family, all 6 of them. 

Lilian knocked on the door. "Lunchtime for Miss Thing, here," she said, balancing a tray with a bowl of macaroni and cheese with bits of tomatoes. "It's her favorite; I thought you could get her to eat a little more than she's been eating." 

Leo glanced at CJ, "Can I try?" he asked hesitating a little. 

"Sure" she said as she stood up. "I'm going to check on the baby and Toby. Call me if you need anything." 

Leo took the bowl and sat on the edge of the bed. "OK Kate, think you can eat something for Daddy?" 

Kate smiled and opened her mouth. 

CJ smiled from the doorway as she watched for a moment before going downstairs. She thwapped Toby upside the head and motioned for him to move over on the couch. He was giving Ari a bottle, but he complied, albeit a little annoyedly. 

"He's feeding her," CJ said mildly. 

"Yeah?" 

"Yeah. I want to take her to another doctor, Toby. Because I think her brain might finally be rewiring around the tumor." 

"She certainly seems more aware than I've ever seen her." said Toby as he handed CJ the bottle and propped Ari against his shoulder to burp her. 

"Ya know, that look works for you." she teased. 

"What, the I'm about to be covered in baby puke look?" 

"Yeah." 

He grunted. "Yeah, well, fatherhood isn't my calling." He burped Ari, then grumbled as she spit up a little on him. 

"You sure about that?" CJ asked sweetly, taking the baby to clean her up. "Ginger certainly looks at you lustily enough." 

Toby blushed a bit, unable to react to that statement. He went into the kitchen to clean off his shirt. He took Ari back from CJ when he returned to the living room. She just grinned at him. 

"Leave me alone." he grumbled as Ari grabbed a hold of his finger and put it in her mouth. 

"I think she's starting to teeth," CJ commented. "Which means more tantrums because her mouth'll be sore... and I didn't pack any orajel," she sighed. 

"Want me to go get some?" Toby asked. "It's just down the highway to the store, right?" 

She smiled. "Okay," she said. "Baby orajel, okay?" 

"No problem," he replied, grabbing his keys and heading out the door. 

CJ went back upstairs with the baby to see Leo giving Kate the last spoonful of macaroni and cheese and wiping her mouth before offering her the straw to her glass of juice. 

"That's my girl," he said with a wide smile as she drank. 

Kate finished and spit the straw out. "Da!" she cried, patting his hand. 

CJ watched unnoticed for a few minutes until Kate spied her in the doorway and grunted happily. Leo turned to see both CJ and Ari smiling. He took Ari from CJ and settled down in the rocker next to the bed. 

"Judging by the empty bowl, I'm guessing lunch was a big hit." 

"Yep, sure was. I couldn't feed her fast enough," said Leo proudly. 

Kate whined and made a fussy noise when he laid Ari down on his lap, out of her sight. 

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" CJ asked, worriedly, unable to figure out why Kate was upset. 

Kate whimpered and made very angry noises until Leo pulled Ari back up into his arms. CJ looked over at Leo, then back at Kate. 

"She wants to see the baby," Leo said softly. 

He sat down on the edge of the bed with Ari and held her up so Kate could see her. Kate patted Ari's hand as CJ got teary eyed again. 

"Sweetheart, you can't cry every time she does something," Leo teased gently, "I'll go broke buying tissues." 

"I can't help it." she said as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. 

Ari gurgled and curled her hand into a little fist around one of Kate's fingers, and cooed in delight when Kate smiled. 

"They're good for each other," CJ whispered. 

"I think Kate wants to try to hold her," Leo said, a little worried. "Should I..." 

"No," CJ said a little too sharply. Kate looked at her, and Ari began to cry because of the tone she had used. "Not now, anyway," CJ continued, modulating her tone a little. 

"It's ok," whispered Leo as he leaned over to kiss her cheek. "I'm going to take Ari downstairs and try to get her settled down for a nap." Leo said, turning his attention to Kate. She gave the baby's hand one last squeeze before Leo got up off of the bed. 

Leo went downstairs, grabbed Ari's blanket and went out to rock her on the porch swing. 

CJ was left with Kate, not quite sure what to do. It had honestly been so long since she'd been with her for any one stretch of time that every response was foreign to her. 

"I'm sorry I snapped," she said hesitantly. "But I don't want anything bad to happen, you understand?" 

Kate sighed and turned away a little. 

"Katherine Cregg, listen to me," CJ said gently. "I love you. I love all of my children, and I don't want anything bad to happen to any of you." She touched Kate gently on the cheek, stroking the way she had when Kate was a baby. "You're my little girl, always, and I love you," she whispered as Kate relaxed into the touch, memories obviously sparking as comfort settled in. 

CJ stayed until Kate fell asleep. She went out and found Ari and Leo on the porch swing. Ari was asleep and Leo wasn't far behind. 

"Hey" he mumbled sleepily. 

"Hey. Kate's asleep. Let me put her in the crib and why don't you go in and take a nap." 

"Thanks, jet lag's starting to kick in." 

CJ took Ari and put her in the crib in the guest room. She sat on the edge of the bed until Leo fell asleep too. When he was out she sat down at the kitchen table to make plans for taking Kate back to Washington. 

She called Michelle and told her to get a bed set up in the den, and to make sure that the small TV was visible from the bed. She also couldn't remember if that TV was hooked to cable or not, so she asked Michelle to check, and if not, get it wired. 

Before she hung up, she requested that Michelle kiss the kids for her. And then, once that conversation was over, she called Abbey. 

Explaining everything to Abbey was easier than CJ had anticipated. She spent nearly two hours on the phone with her discussing everything from medical issues, to thoughts on how to explain things to Rose and Pat, and how to handle to press nightmare that was sure to develop. CJ asked Abbey to talk to Jed and fill him in. 

And at the end of the conversation, CJ dropped the bomb. "And... well... I'm going to resign." 

"CJ?" Abbey asked softly. 

"I just want to take care of my children, Abbey -- I have four of them, and I want to be there for them as much as I can. I haven't been a very good mother since I took this job." 

"I understand, but why don't you take a leave first. Get Kate settled in and see how things work out. What does Leo say?" 

CJ was silent for a long time. 

"CJ, you haven't told him of your decision yet, have you?" 

"Not yet. He's asleep now and I'm going to talk to him when he gets up." 

"Okay." Abbey smiled. "I know it's a few years too late, but congratulations. I'm sure she's a beautiful little girl, and I should be able to see for myself soon enough." 

"Yeah," CJ replied. "I'm gonna go now and check on her, and maybe try to take a nap. I wonder what's taking Toby so long at the drug store... how hard is it to find baby orajel?" 

"You sent Toby to find baby orajel?" teased Abbey. 

"Yeah. You'd be amazed at the stuff Toby's done the past few days. Let's just say he's gonna make a great father some day." 

"I'm sure he will. You take care. I'll have Jed call Leo sometime later. Give Leo and the girls a kiss from me." 

"I will, thanks. 

She hung up and tickled Ari, who squealed in reply, and picked up her bouncy seat to take her upstairs to check on Kate. 

Kate was watching Dexter's Laboratory, and her face was as blank as CJ had ever seen it. With a heavy sigh, CJ headed back down the stairs, running into Toby at the foot. 

"It took me several hours and a trip way the hell outta the valley, but I got your baby orajel!" he said, holding it up triumphantly. "Where is everyone?" 

"Mom and Dad are out surveying damage to the vineyard, Leo's sleeping, and Kate's watching cartoons." 

Toby held out his arms to take Ari from CJ. 

"Tobias Ziegler, let me get the camera cause nobody's gonna believe me when I tell them all the stuff you've done for me over the past few days." she teased as he kissed Ari's cheek and made faces at her. 

"Don't you dare" he warned. "I have an image to uphold." 

"An image as Oscar the Grouch?" 

He grunted, and motioned her away. "Go sleep or something, would ya?" 

She laughed and kissed him on the cheek. "Kate needs her snack in about an hour -- if mom and dad aren't back, there are some baby carrots in a baggie in the fridge." 

"OK, I can handle it. Where's the stroller?" 

"Out on the porch. Taking the baby for a walk?" 

"Maybe after your parents come in. Go upstairs, I don't want to see you for at least 2 hours." he said. 

"Yes, sir." she replied with a mock salute. 

"Your mother's crazy." he whispered into Ari's ear. 

"I heard that." yelled CJ from the top of the stairs. 

"Even if you heard it, it doesn't make it any less of the truth," Toby shot back. 

She leaned over the railing and stuck her tongue out at him, then disappeared into the bedroom she was sharing with Leo. 

He was all curled up in the bed like usual, and she slid into the bed behind him, wrapping her arms around him and immediately nodding off. 

An hour later she awoke to the familiar wailing of her youngest child. Leo was still sound asleep next to her. She followed to wailing to Kate's room. Toby was trying to feed Kate and calm a screaming Ari at the same time. 

"I think she wants something I'm not equipped to give her." he said as he smiled at CJ. 

"Not a problem." she said taking the baby and settling down in the rocker. She nursed Ari while Kate had a snack and watched TV. Kate had allowed Toby to change the channel from Cartoon Network to CNN, thus giving everyone in the room something to do. 

"Well," CJ commented dryly, "at least the world hasn't come to a spectacular end yet, since we've all been away..." 

"Leo's phone hasn't rung once..." 

"That's because I told Abbey to tell Jed not to call until later, and I shut his phone off." 

"OK, that explains it. So what have you decided to do? Take Kate when we go back or come and get her in a few weeks?" 

"We're going to go home together. I'd love to leave in a few days. You know, anytime you want to head back, feel free." 

"Thanks, but I'll wait til we are all ready to go." 

"What did I ever do to deserve you, Toby?" asked CJ quietly. 

He shrugged his shoulders and smiled. 

"Really, you're the best friend I could ever have asked to have in this world," she said, kissing him on the cheek. 

"Would you stop kissing him," Leo grumbled from the doorway. "How many times do I have to tell you, Ziegler -- hands off my wife?" 

"What's the matter Leo? Jealous?" asked Toby as he stood up and kissed Leo on the cheek. "I'm going to go and try to make some plane reservations so we can get back to civilization." 

Leo wiped his cheek and grumbled as he took the baby from CJ. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Four days later CJ was packing the last of Kate's things into a suitcase while her mother sat in the rocker crying. 

CJ stood there, holding the suitcase, not sure what to do. She knew her mother understood why she was taking Kate with her, but on the other hand, her mother and father had raised Kate. It had to be a little like letting your baby leave the nest. 

"Mom, you can call whenever, and you and daddy are always welcome," CJ assured her awkwardly. 

"I know," sniffed Lilian as she grabbed another tissue out of the box in her lap. 

"Lil, please stop crying." said Thomas from the doorway. 

"I'm trying Thomas." she smiled. 

Thomas carried down the suitcase as CJ finished packing the carry on bag. They were leaving for the airport in a little over an hour and she wasn't nearly as ready as she had hoped. She still needed to pack the rest of her things, nurse the baby and make a few phone calls. 

Ari started screaming, and CJ raced to grab her and feed her. "Leo, can you finish packing my clothes?" she yelled. "They're in the dresser... and the baby's things -- we can't leave the blanket or she'll go apeshit." 

"Fine, honey," Leo called back. 

An hour later, as the car pulled away from the house, CJ was calmer than she had been in days. Everything was packed. The necessities were with them and the rest of Kate's things had been shipped the previous afternoon. Not knowing how well Kate would do with flying the doctor had given CJ something to calm her down, should she need it. At the moment CJ was debating whether or not to give the sedative to Toby or Leo. They were sitting in the front of the rental car. Toby was driving and the two of them were talking a mile a minute to each other, about totally different subjects. But somehow they were able to keep both conversations going. 

"Your father and your uncle are both nuts." said CJ as she smiled at Ari and Kate. 

Ari gave her a confused, "duh" look, and Kate patted her mother's arm. 

CJ sighed, trying to shift her knees around the wheelchair that they had to keep Kate confined in until they could get her on the plane. It was folded up and stuck between the back of Toby's seat and her knees, because there had absolutely been no where else to put it. 

"You ok back there?" asked Leo. 

"Oh, just great unless of course I plan on walking sometime in the future." teased CJ. 

They arrived at the airport. Checked what they could in at curbside check in, put Ari in the stroller and Kate in her wheelchair. They all tossed carry-on bags over their shoulders and they slowly made their way to the gate. 

Leo went to check them all in, and Toby took Ari for a little walk, over to go get some Popsicles from one of the little airport restaurants. 

Which left CJ with all of the bags and Kate, who was bewildered about what was going on. 

"Don't worry honey, I feel the same way." said CJ with a giggle. 

Eventually they boarded the plane, which was a project in itself. By the time the plane took off the adults were all ready for a nap and the girls were wide-awake, but fortunately not being too noisy. 

The woman sitting in front of Leo and Ari turned around and smiled. "Oh, isn't she just lovely? How old is she?" 

"Four months," Leo said automatically. Ari looked up at the strange lady and began to cry, not scream, just cry. 

"Let me have her, honey," CJ said softly from behind Leo. "I'm sure she wouldn't mind spending a little time with her sister and me..." 

The nosy lady's eyes nearly bugged out of her head when she saw Kate. She wisely turned around without a word. CJ took Ari in her arms and held her up so Kate could see her. Kate grabbed the baby's hand and gurgled happily. Toby moved up to sit next to Leo to take about work for a while. CJ nursed Ari and settled her down on her shoulder while she watched the in flight movie. 

Both girls settled in for a nap, and CJ drifted off, as well. She didn't wake up until Leo had reached back to shake her awake. "Honey, it's dinnertime," he said softly. 

She stretched awake and put down the tray table in front of her. The flight attendant brought two meals and offered to get something different for Kate if she didn't like the turkey that was served. CJ wasn't too sure about the turkey but Kate ended up eating it as well as some mashed potatoes and some ice cream. 

After dinner they played musical chairs and got settled in for the rest of the flight. Toby ended up next to Ari, Leo with Kate and CJ by herself. She pulled out her laptop and typed an undated, formal letter of resignation. She and Leo had talked for hours about her decision to quit. He was behind her, no matter what she decided. Toby was more than understanding and supportive even though he knew he would miss seeing her everyday. Now the only thing left to do was to tell Jed. CJ hadn't wanted to do it over the phone but she knew he had an inkling of what was to come. 

She saved the file and closed her laptop, then carefully put it away. She smiled as she watched Leo leaning over to talk to Kate, and knew that her decisions were for the best. 

She settled in for the rest of the flight and decided to take a nap. 

They landed at Dulles and were met unexpectedly by Josh and Donna. Rose and Pat were at the White House with Abbey and Jed. Josh took the baby from Leo and Donna helped CJ to settle Kate into the wheelchair. 

CJ was practically in tears. "Uh, Donna, this is Kate. Kate, this is... this is Donna -- how did you guys know..." 

"Abbey sent us," Donna said simply. "She said you'd need some help." 

"That's an understatement." muttered CJ. "Here, you push Kate and I'll open up the stroller so Josh doesn't have to carry the baby." 

"That's ok, let him carry her, he could use the practice." said Donna with a grin. 

"What?" asked CJ, suddenly more awake than she had been in the past 8 hours. 

Donna laughed. "I"m not pregnant -- yet, anyway." 

CJ shook her head wearily. "Donna, I've just spent eight hours traveling with a motley crew on what should've just been a three hour tour. Speak in short sentences with visual aids." 

"Well, CJ, if you need visual aids you have bigger problems than I would have ever imagined." teased Donna as she unlocked the wheels on Kate's wheelchair. 

For some reason that struck CJ as the funniest thing that had happened to her in days. She laughed harder than she had in a very long time. 

"Care to share with the rest of the class?" asked Toby. 

"Uh, no, not really." said Donna, before CJ could say anything. 

Slowly the motley crew made it to the car Abbey and Jed had sent for them. 

CJ was still laughing insanely by the time Leo shoved her into the car and practically sat on her lap. "Shut up, will ya?" he said. 

"I'm sorry I can't help it. It's been a long day." 

"It's been a long week." muttered Toby from the other side of the car. 

After much discussion of where everyone was getting dropped off Toby, Josh and Donna were dropped at the White House. Toby was going to get the kids and bring them home. Josh and Donna decided to let Leo and CJ get the 4 kids settled in at home and they would visit the next day. The driver helped carry everything in to the townhouse and left them with a screaming Arianna, a confused Kate and a pile of luggage in the foyer. 

Michelle came running downstairs and took Arianna to get her diaper changed, because, well, no one else looked like they were going to be moving any time soon. 

CJ looked around the foyer at the piles, and just started to cry. She had never in her whole life felt so overwhelmed as she did at that moment. 

Leo steered her towards the couch and then picked Kate up and sat her next to CJ. 

"You girls stay here, I'll move this stuff before Toby gets back with Rose and Pat." said Leo as he took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. 

"Fine," said CJ weakly, "But be careful of your back, please." 

"I'll be fine," he was quick to assure her. 

"Okay," she mumbled, wiping her eyes and turning to Kate. "Well, sweetie, how 'bout some TV?" 

Kate grinned as CJ found the remote under the pile of coloring books on the coffee table. She turned to Cartoon Network and was just getting comfortable when she heard the unmistakable sounds of little feet on the hardwood of the foyer. 

"MOMOMOMOMOM!" Pat shrieked, tearing into the room. He stopped short. "Who's that?!" 

"That's Kate," said Rose as if everyone should know who Kate was. She climbed up on the couch and took Kate's hand as if it was the most natural thing in the world. 

Pat gave Kate a slightly uneasy look as he climbed onto the couch and into CJ's lap. 

"Kate's your big sister, sweetie," CJ said softly to Pat. "She lived with Nana and Grandpa until Daddy and I brought her home this afternoon." 

Kate laughed at something she saw on the TV, as much as the fact that Rose was giggling, too. 

Pat covered his ears. "She's LOUD!" 

CJ laughed as she stood up with Pat in her arms. "How about we go check on Ari?" 

"She's loud too." complained Pat. 

"Leo, leave the luggage and give me a hand please." CJ yelled up the stairs. 

"Just a minute, Toby and I are almost done." he yelled back. 

Five minutes later Toby was settled on the couch with Rose and Kate, Pat was in his room with Leo and CJ was nursing the baby on her bed. 

The phone rang, and CJ paid it no mind, preferring to just kind of rest. Leo came into the room a minute or two later, a smile on his face. "Hey." 

"Hey," CJ murmured. "What's up?" 

"Jed and Abbey are coming over for dinner -- the agents should be arriving soon to sweep." 

She stared at him. "Leo..." 

"They're bringing dinner -- they've already ordered pizza and salads." 

CJ didn't even have the energy to argue, not that it would have done any good anyway. "Here, hold her while I take a two minute shower" she said, handing the baby off to him. 

Twenty minutes later CJ opened the door to Jed and Abbey with a smile plastered on her face and a screaming Ari on her hip. 

"Welcome to Castle McGarry," she said hyper-cheerfully. "Come on in and make yourselves comfortable. I've got to get her down for a nap and go feed Kate... oh, sir, I'm sorry," she said, her eyes suddenly widening. "Kate is..." 

"Your daughter. I know. It's in your FBI file, CJ." 

CJ just stared at him, dumbfounded that he knew and never said anything and even more so, that she never thought about the fact that that information would be part of her file. She looked at Abbey with an unspoken question on her lips. 

"No, I didn't know." said Abbey as she reached for Arianna. 

Jed smiled gently. "And you also claim her on your taxes every year -- not the joint ones, unless you can sneak her in without Leo looking, but the individual ones." 

She stared at him. "I think I'm gonna be sick." 

Jed chuckled. "Leo never even looked at your files when he hired you. But you better believe I did. I was curious about why, but could never find an appropriate way to ask." 

"And I thank you for that. It's taken me a long time to get where I am at this very moment. I'm glad I could do things on my terms." 

Leo appeared in the doorway to the kitchen with Pat in his arms. Pat squirmed for Leo to put him down and he made a beeline for Jed's legs. 

"Uncle Jed," Pat said, "can we show mommy how to make a glass out of paper?" 

CJ laughed. "Teaching him origami?" she asked, heading into the kitchen to get Kate's food. 

"The ancient Japanese art of paper folding is something that every child should know," Jed shot back. 

"I know how to make a crane and a frog," Rose piped up, turning on her knees to look over the back of the couch. 

"Rosita, don't bounce Kate, please," Toby grunted as Kate kind of fell over into his lap. 

"Sorry, Kate." said Rose as she patted her hand. 

Leo and CJ stayed back for a minute as Jed and Abbey went into the living room to meet Kate. Toby did the introductions as Rose looked on. 

"Pat, I'm going to put you down, so I can say hello to your sister," Jed said mildly, putting Pat down. Pat went off to his daddy's big chair to sulk. 

Toby said, "Mr. President, Dr. Bartlet, this is Katherine Cregg. Kate, honey, this is President Bartlet and Dr. Bartlet." 

Kate stared at them blankly, then opened her mouth and screamed, "DA! MAAAAA!" 

CJ and Leo entered the room laughing. 

"OK, Leo have you been telling Kate about me?" asked Jed with a smile. 

"Nothing, must have been Toby." said Leo innocently. 

Toby stood up and Abbey took his place on the couch next to Kate. CJ sat down on the coffee table in front of them. Abbey brushed back Kate's hair. 

"Screaming DA and MA is a new thing." said CJ. "I'm trying to keep things in perspective but it's hard not to get excited about it." 

"Are there any other differences you notice in her since the last time you saw her?" 

"She just seems...brighter, I guess would be a good word, more alert. Maybe it's just me and my wishful thinking." said CJ with a sigh. 

"But maybe it isn't. Give her a few days to settle in and then make an appointment with the neurologist." 

"I hate the idea of them putting her in all of those goddamn machines again," CJ sighed in frustration. "I was a nervous wreck after her last set of scans -- I was pregnant with Pat at the time." 

"That's why you were so wound up," Abbey said, a light bulb finally clicking. 

"Yeah. I just don't know, Abbey -- I'm scared for her because, well, she can't say she hurts or she's frightened." 

Abbey smiled. "Claudia, she just might." 

"What?" 

"You heard me. If she's saying 'MA' and 'DA', it's quite possible her brain is finally adapting and hardwiring into other centers than the ones that are usually associated with speech and motion and..." 

"CJ," Leo said, coming up beside her. 

"Hey, yeah?" 

"I'm going to try to let Jed feed her. Well, I'll start, but I want to see if maybe, if I give my approval on something as small as..." 

"YES!" CJ shouted. 

Much to everyone's surprise Kate allowed Jed to feed her some yogurt and peaches. Leo and CJ looked on proudly as the leader of the western world wiped vanilla yogurt from their daughter's face. 

Pat broke the quiet, happy moment before everyone got too emotional. "Mommy, I'm hungry. Where's the food?" he asked, loudly. 


	5. McGarry House of Hell 5

**McGarry House of Hell**

**by: Ginny and Becky**

**Pairing(s):** CJ/Leo  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Disclaimer:** The usual, not mine etc.  
**Summary:** Further adventures of the McGarry clan. Sequel to "You Could Drive A Person Crazy"  
**Feedback:** Feedback is appreciated.  


* * *

Part 5 

"It's coming," CJ assured him. "Go see if you can help set the table." 

It was hours until everyone was gone and the dinner mess was all cleaned up and the kids were tucked into bed. 

CJ came out of the bathroom and saw Leo lying on the bed, half-asleep. "Not sleeping on the job, are we?" she asked, taking off her bathrobe and dropping it on the end of the bed. 

"No, just preserving my energy." he chuckled. 

"Good, you're gonna need it old man." 

He laughed and pulled her down onto the bed. "I have a feeling you're the one that's going to need it. This is what happens when we haven't made love in five months." 

She raised an eyebrow and stifled a laugh. 

"OK, woman, lemme have it." he teased. 

She didn't have to be told twice. 

The next morning, she dragged herself out of bed and toward the sound of voices coming from Ari and Kate's room. 

Leo was feeding Ari, Kate was smiling, Pat was sitting in the overstuffed chair, playing with his plush football, and Rose was reading "Cat in the Hat" to them all. 

"Aww," CJ said softly. 

Leo looked over at her. "We're a regular Norman Rockwell painting, eh?" 

"Yeah, let me get the camera, I'm sure it won't last." 

It didn't. Ari started to fuss and Pat tossed the football at her head. Her fussing turned to full fledged screaming. 

Pat climbed off the chair and picked up the football with all the innocence he could muster given his current situation. 

"Leo Patrick, get in your room." yelled CJ. Leo handed her the baby. 

"I think she wants the real thing," he said, leering slightly at CJ's chest. 

CJ gave him a look and shook her head at him. "Go talk to your son." 

Leo went into the room to talk with Pat. "Okay, kid, you can't just throw things at your sister." 

"Why not?" 

"Because you're bigger and you know better." 

"She's too noisy." 

"Hey, did you know I have five little sisters?" 

"No." 

"You have to meet 'em sometime -- I used to want to smack 'em senseless, but they're my sisters. And I love 'em." 

"Can I have breakfast?" 

"How about you come to work with me, we can eat in the Mess with the boys." 

"Good, no girls." 

"What about Margaret and Aunt Donna?" 

"I like them, they have toys...and food." 

Leo chuckled. "Get dressed while I go talk to Mommy." 

Pat nodded and headed for the dresser, while Leo went back into the other room. "I'm taking Pat with me," he said. 

"Okay -- I'm going to have my hands full with Ari and Kate, even with Michelle's help," CJ sighed, wincing as Ari bit her. 

"Wait till she has teeth." 

"Honey, you're not helping. I'll call you later. Call if you need Michelle to come pick Pat up." 

Forty five minutes later Leo and Pat were eating breakfast in the Mess with Josh and Sam. 

Leo pointed a fork at Sam. "You tell him yet?" he asked Josh. 

"Tell me what?" Sam asked. 

"I have three stupid sisters," Pat piped up. 

"Huh?" muttered Sam. Ainsley had just walked into the Mess and his attention was elsewhere. 

"Sam, pay attention, this is important." said Josh as he kicked him under the table. 

"I'm sorry Pat. Did you just say you have 3 stupid sisters?" asked Sam totally confused. 

Leo sighed and launched into an explanation as Josh excused himself. "And CJ's resigning, because she wants to take care of the kids. I think she's kicking herself about birth control." 

Pat looked up at him. "Daddy, what's birth control?" 

"Nothing you need to worry about for a long time." 

Pat finished his eggs and he and Leo walked hand in hand to Leo's office. Leo set Pat up at the table with some toys and a video so he could go talk to Jed before the staff meeting. 

"Hey, how are things?" Jed asked, hanging up the phone. 

"CJ's overwhelmed, and, quite frankly, so am I. We're just not young anymore." 

"None of us are. You look exhausted, kids keep you up?" 

"No, not exactly," said Leo as he felt his face turn red. 

"Oh," muttered Jed as he looked at something on his desk and then back at Leo. "OH" he smiled as the light bulb went off. 

"Yeah. Anyway..." Leo shrugged and blushed. 

"Yeah," Jed said as the rest of the senior staff filtered into the room. 

Halfway through the meeting Pat wandered in, stood on the seal and looked around for a friendly lap to sit on. Leo was pacing around the room trying to keep the meeting from escalating into a shouting match. Pat climbed up onto Josh's lap and made himself comfortable. 

With Pat's presence a consideration the tone of the meeting changed and some things actually got accomplished. 

After the meeting ended Leo and Pat went back into Leo's office, where Leo settled his son down on the couch with a coloring book and crayons. He was waiting for Senator Stanley to arrive so they could have their little meeting on environmental policy when Margaret came in, saying, "Leo, CJ's on the line, and she sounds really really... something." 

"Something?" Leo asked, reaching for the phone. "Hey, honey," he said. 

"LEO!" CJ yelled. "She said something -- Kate SAID something!" 

"What? She actually..." 

"She said baby, Leo. She pointed at Ari and said baby." 

"CJ, honey, are you sure?" 

"Yes, I'm positive." 

"That's great. Look, I have to go, Toby's giving me the eye." 

"Tell him the good news. Love you." 

"Love you, too." he said as he turned his attention towards Toby. 

"Yeah?" he said, unable to keep the smile off his face. 

"I was gonna ask about the thing on the Hill, but what's got you smirkin' like a lunatic?" 

"Toby, she's talking. Kate's talking." 

"That's great." 

"It sure is. Now what about the meeting on the Hill?" 

As it turned out Leo had to go with Toby to the Hill and help him pacify some Republican members of Congress. Josh offered to keep an eye on Pat for Leo so Michelle wouldn't have to come pick him up. 

After CJ hung up with Leo, the first thing she did was call Abbey. "Abbey, she's talking!" she said excitedly. "She said baby. She pointed at Ari and said BABY." 

"Wow, that's great. I think maybe things are starting to come together. Did you make an appointment with the neurologist yet?" 

"Yeah, Kate has an appointment in two weeks and I scheduled some tests for Ari next week." 

"What tests?" 

"I can't remember, I have the list downstairs in the kitchen, I'm upstairs in Kate's room." 

"Don't run and get it now. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Give the girls a kiss." 

CJ hung up and sat back down on the bed with Ari and Kate. 

She smiled and asked very quietly, "Kate, would you like to hold Ari?" 

"BAYBY..." Kate said proudly, trying to hold out her arms." 

CJ smiled and moved to put Ari in her big sister's arms. Kate smiled as she tried to wrap her arms around Ari. Not too sure about the new set of arms around her Ari began to fuss rather quickly. But Kate didn't seem to mind. 

"Baby ree..." Kate babbled, making hush noises at Ari, who looked up at her and stopped crying. In fact, she started to wave her little arms and shriek happily. 

"Why I..." CJ said, laughing. 

Kate smiled and laughed as she held her sister. 

The rest of the afternoon passed by quickly and without any major disaster either at home or at work. Leo got back from his meeting on the hill a little before 4 to find Pat sound asleep on the couch in Josh's office. 

Leo smiled and nodded at Josh before continuing on to his office. Pat was still banned form the bathrooms without supervision, but it was still a bit of surprise when Josh carried him in. Pat's pants were soaked, and Josh was a little annoyed. 

"He wet the couch." 

"Oh for... Josh, he's not even three -- give him a break," Leo grumbled, pulling out a spare set of clothes he'd taken to keeping in his bottom drawer. 

"Sorry," mumbled Josh, "I'm just a little..something today." 

"What did you do to piss Donna off?" asked Leo with a smirk. 

"I don't even know. How am I supposed to apologize when I'm not even sure what I did?" groaned Josh. 

"Don't ask me -- I have no idea," Leo sighed, taking Pat by the hand. "I just apologize every day out of habit, even when I haven't done anything." 

"Yeah, well, you and CJ have the perfect relationship," Josh mocked. 

Leo turned around and glared at him. 

"You know what, I'm just gonna," stuttered Josh as he pointed towards the door. 

"Good idea." said Leo, "Thanks for watching Pat." he added. 

"No problem." replied Josh quietly as he ruffled Pat's hair and then left quietly. 

"Let's get you cleaned up," Leo sighed, taking Pat to the bathroom. 

"Sorry, Daddy," he mumbled as Leo washed him up. 

"It's not your fault, kiddo. Just hold still a sec... Okay, now, you need help getting changed?" 

"No..." 

"Okay, go ahead." 

After one more staff meeting Leo and Pat were on their way home by 6. Rose was waiting for them on the front steps when they got home. 

"Hey, sweetie. Whatcha doing out here?" asked Leo. 

"Nothing, just waiting for you." 

"What's wrong, Ari being loud again?" 

"Nope, she's sleeping and Mommy's feeding Kate so I decided to sit out here and think." 

"Oh, so what are you thinking about?" asked Leo as he sat down on the step next to her with Pat in his lap. 

"When it was just Mommy and me." Rose sighed. "And my other Daddy." 

Leo gritted his teeth. "Yeah." 

"I liked it." 

"Yeah." 

"But I might like this, too." 

"Well, Rose, I think you already like this. I know things have been a little rough lately, but we'll get through it. Look, tomorrow's Saturday, why don't you come to work with me for a little while and then we'll do something together, just the two of us?" 

"Really Daddy?" 

"Yeah. So let's go in and see what's for dinner." Leo said, motioning towards the front door. 

"Okay." 

"What 'bout me?" Pat whimpered. 

"Well, you got me all day today, kiddo," Leo said. 

"No I didn'.. I got Uncle Josh and Aunt Donna and Aunt Abbey." 

"Pat, you went to work with Daddy today, tomorrow's Rose's turn." 

"Fine." mumbled Pat, sounding frighteningly like his father. 

The next morning Rose and Leo walked hand in hand into the West Wing. As much as Leo like taking Pat with him it was so much easier to take Rose. She could entertain herself, she didn't usually need a nap in the middle of the afternoon and she didn't need a chaperone in the bathroom. 

And so he maintained it was easier until he heard Rose talking to Jed about how much she hated having all manners of siblings as she did. 

Leo sighed and buried his head in his work again. 

Margaret poked her head in a while later to see if he needed anything. 

"No, I'm fine. Have you seen Rose?" 

"I think she's with Donna. Everything ok?" 

"I don't know. Rose and Pat are having a little trouble with our growing family." 

"Yeah," Margaret agreed mildly. "A big family can be a pain." 

"You're supposed to be my assistant." 

"And I'm assisting you in figuring this out." 

"Oh, OK. Well, have to go see Josh for a moment but if you have any brilliant ideas be sure to jot them down for me." he smirked as he stood up to leave. 

"And if you would be so gracious as to bite me, Leo..." Margaret muttered. 

"Excuse me?" 

"Nothing Leo," she smiled. 

"That's what I thought. By the way..." 

"Yeah, I know, I'm a good girl." said Margaret completing his description of her that she found quite endearing, even though she would never tell him that. 

He smiled. "Okay, well, I'm gonna go do this thing with Josh. Y'know, feel free to drop by and see us sometime." 

She chuckled to herself as she watched him walk out the door and down the hallway. 

Leo found Rose at Donna's desk playing solitaire on the computer while Donna filed. 

"He in there?" asked Leo pointing towards Josh's closed door. 

"Yeah, knock, I think he's on the phone." 

Leo tapped quietly on the door and pushed it open. Josh was still on the phone but he waved him in. 

"Yes, I will pick the ring up Monday night. See you then." 

Leo smiled at Josh as he hung up the phone. "You proposed weeks ago, it's about time you got the ring." 

Josh sighed. "Hush. There was a problem with the diamonds, then the gold, and then the setting, and..." 

"Go no further," Leo laughed, holding up his hand. 

"Anyway, I'm picking it up and she'll have it in a few days." 

"Good. So, set a date yet?" 

"No, we haven't really discussed it yet. I guess some of that depends on what happens around here, 7 months from now. Be nice to know where we are going to be living and working come next January." 

"We'll be here." declared Leo with a smile. 

"Without CJ, it won't be worth it anymore," Josh sighed. "Anyway... when's she leaving officially?" 

"She's turning in her papers next week." 

"Ah. Well, here's to family, eh?" 

"Josh, you're talking to the family man. No maligning the family, okay?" 

"Okay" said Josh quietly. 

The phone rang again and Leo left Josh's office. Rose was still playing on Donna's computer when Leo came in. 

"You know Donna, you can put her to work." teased Leo. 

"Daddy" whined Rose in the tone that only an 8 year old can manage. 

"Hey, that's a great idea." said Donna as she closed the filing cabinet drawer and handed Rose a file, "Can you give this to Sam for me?" she asked. 

"Sure." replied Rose happily as she finished her game of Solitaire. 

Rose spent the rest of the morning running little errands for the staff and generally staying entertained. 

CJ called about lunchtime, and said she'd be coming in with the girls and Pat, accompanied by Michelle, to deliver her resignation and make her last briefing as press secretary. 

Leo hung up the phone as Jed entered the room. 

"Leo, you ok?" he asked, a little worried about his best friend. 

"Yeah. CJ's on her way in with the girls and Pat. She's gonna do one last briefing. I've be preparing myself for this moment for the past week but now it's..." 

"Hitting you all at once?" 

"Yeah. It's going to be strange around here without her." 

"Leo, she's doing the right thing." 

"I know, Jed, I know." 

Jed nodded and patted Leo on the shoulder. "You'll want to be with her, yeah?" 

"Yes, sir." 

"Back to business, eh?" Jed teased gently. "You going to introduce Kate to the press?" 

"I don't know what she's planning to do." 

"Well, I have a quick meeting. Let me know if you need anything. I'll try to sneak in the back for the briefing." 

"Thanks. I'll see you in a while." 

Leo took a quick trip with Rose down to the Mess for a bite to eat before the rest of the family arrived. By the time they were on their way back to his office CJ and the rest of the group were slowly making their way through the Communications Bullpen. 

CJ was laughing and smiling, but he could tell that she was a little irritated by the constant stopping. People were halting the little procession to say hello and to coo over everyone, and she definitely seemed to want to kill someone. 

She caught Leo's eye and mouthed, 'HELP!' 

He chuckled as he crossed the bullpen to save her from the rest of the staff. He took Ari from her and motioned for Michelle to follow him with Kate. They managed to get into CJ's office with no further interruptions. 

"Thank you." said CJ, kissing him on the cheek. "Another few minutes and someone would have had a meltdown." 

"You, Kate or Ari?" 

"Take your pick" she grinned. 

"Or all three of you," Leo said with a mild smile. "How are things going today?" 

"Better." She kissed him on the cheek. "Where's Rose?" 

"She was going to help Margaret for a while. She's been the little office helper all day." 

Leo asked Michelle to give them a few minutes alone so they could talk about the briefing. Leo handed Ari back to CJ and he put the TV on for Kate and Pat. 

"When are you briefing?" he asked, taking a seat next to her on the couch. 

"In about an hour," she replied, taking a glance at the clock. 

"You going to introduce Kate, you want me up there with you, what?" 

"I want you up there with the kids, all four of them." 

He smiled and kissed her cheek, "Good." 

She chuckled and leaned into his arms. "God, Leo, when you think about it, we've done good," she giggled. 

"We're the perfect reason for birth control!" he added, as she continued to laugh. 

"You hit the mark too many times, old man... Mallory called earlier." 

"Oh?" 

"She's going to give an interview with Danny tomorrow about all of this, and she's coming over for dinner tonight with Sam." 

"Oh, ok, that sounds good," said Leo distractedly as Pat climbed up into his lap. "Wait, Sam's coming over too?" 

"Yep. Apparently their on again, off again thing is on again." 

"Ah, whatever." 

She chuckled. "Yeah, I know. Can you watch them a couple of minutes so I can make a trip to the ladies' room and fix my makeup?" 

"Sure," replied Leo as little wary of being in a confined space with three kids for any length of time. "But, uh, don't be too long." 

CJ just laughed. "Call Toby if you need backup." 

As it turned out no backup was needed. Leo had Margaret send Rose over and he managed to brush everyone's hair and wipe their faces by the time CJ got back. 

"Wow, I'm impressed," she said stopped in the doorway to take a deep breath and get a good look at her husband and four kids. 

He laughed. "So am I." He ruffled Pat's hair and finished with Kate's hairbow. "You ready? Carol's pooling everybody into the pressroom now." 

"Yeah, I'm ready." 

He gave her hand a squeeze before grabbing the handles to Kate's wheelchair. CJ had Ari in her arms and planned to pass her off to Carol when they entered the room. But it was obvious when they entered the press room that the real reason for the briefing had been leaked. CJ was not shocked by that fact, nor was she particularly upset. Instead of handing Ari to Carol she stepped up to the podium, baby in her arms. 

Questions were already being thrown at them at a blinding speed. 

"Everyone, take a seat." bellowed Leo from the doorway. 

CJ shot her husband a look, then said, "Sit down or we'll go back the way we came, people." 

There was an immediate ripple effect. People sat and shut up. 

"Ladies, gentlemen, and Danny," CJ said with a teasing smile, "this is my last press briefing, so let me start off by saying that no, Senator Sadler is NOT supporting the Republican faction that is going to break from the Republican party. She is, however, changing parties from Democrat to Libertarian. Any questions will be handled by the press office later today. In other news, the President's trip to Europe has been cancelled, due to security concerns in Prague and Hesse-Kassel. And Mrs. Bartlet's trip to the Orient is being cut back by a week. All questions regarding that should be directed to the First Lady's offices." 

She finally glanced from her notes, to a sleeping Ari in her arms, to the press corps. They were all staring at her silently. Very few were taking notes and nobody was yelling any questions, not even Danny. 

"OK, we'll get to the real purpose of the briefing in a minute but for now could you all please take some notes on what I just shared with you, it was all important." she teased. 

Leo chuckled, and she shot him a Look. 

"Okay, like I said at the beginning of the thing, this is my last briefing as the White House Press Secretary. I tendered my resignation to the President about an hour ago, and it is effective as of the end of today." 

Danny raised his hand. 

"Yes, Danny?" 

"Why?" 

She tried to control the rolling of her eyes as she motioned for Leo to come forward with the other three kids. 

"Because of these 4 kids." she said plainly as she paused to let the number of kids sink into the collective mind of the White House Press Corps." 

Danny was the only one brave enough to raise his hand and ask the obvious question. 

"Yes, Danny?" 

"Four kids, CJ?" 

"Yes, four kids." She chuckled. "Most of you already know Rose and Pat. This is Arianna, the reason I've been out of work a few months. And this is Kate, our oldest, who has been living with my parents until a few days ago." 

"Uh, do you care to elaborate on why Kate has been living with your parents?" yelled Steve. 

CJ took a deep breath, "Not particularly." 

A sea of hands went up and the same question came out of the mouths of at least half a dozen mouths, "Why not?" 

Leo stepped up to the podium, "I believe CJ has given you the only answer you are getting today, let's please move on" 

"I tendered my resignation because I want to be with my children. I want to see them grow up, learn new things, meet people that they're going to have as friends the rest of their lives. I can't let them be raised entirely by their nanny, no matter how wonderful she is. And they're my children, and as such, are my responsibility. And I've shirked my responsibilities to them long enough." 

CJ glanced up to see Jed smiling throught the partition at the back of the room. 

"I've put many hours of thought into this decision and I am confident that I am doing the right thing for my family." 

Chris's hand shot up into the air. "CJ, is this purely a personal move? Will you think about returning to the public sector at a later time? Or is this it?" 

CJ laughed and shook her head. "This is it, Chris -- until I find another 'real thing', that is." 

Thankfully no more hands shot up and no more questions flew through the air. 

"I'm not going to get mushy or anything," teased CJ, "But I want you all to know that is has been a pleasure working with you over the 3 and a half years." 

"Yeah, same to you," came the general chorus. 

Chris hissed something to Danny, then stood up and said, "CJ, on behalf of the press corps, I'd like to invite you to a fare-thee-well party on Friday. If you can make it, that is -- we can give Leo details later." 

"Uh, sounds good, thank you," said CJ, genuinely surprised. "I guess this is goodbye then." she said quietly as she gave a little wave and turned to leave before she got all emotional up at the podium. Toby was waiting in her office for her with a handful of tissues and bag of Hershey's kisses. 

"Thought you might need these." he said as he held up his offerings. 

She smiled a little and swiped at her eyes. "God, I've gotten so emotional since I went and had kids," she giggled, taking the bag of chocolate and handing him Ari. 

"Yeah, you used to be pretty..." 

"Say it and die, Ziegler." 

"Like that," he continued with a grin. "You did good, kid." 

"Thanks" she said as she ripped open the bag of chocolate. 

Toby settled down on the couch with Ari while CJ returned a few phone calls, ate some kisses and cried a little. 

Finally, she hung up the phone and sighed. "Well, that's it, then. That's all she wrote, eh?" 

"I guess -- hey, y'know, she's askin' for something I don't have, here," Toby said as Ari chewed on the breast pocket of his shirt. 

She laughed. "Give her here." 

He handed her over as Leo came into the room, alone. 

"Uh, Leo, what did you do with the other three?" asked CJ as Toby slipped out the door. 

"Pat's with Josh, and the girls are with Margaret." 

"Oh dear God, can she handle Kate and Rose?" CJ asked worriedly. 

"You sound like a mother." 

"I AM a mother, Leo." 

"They're fine. They're watching PBS in Margaret's office." 

CJ turned Arianna around so she could switch sides. 

"Besides, Margaret knows where to find me." 

"And Josh is ok watching Pat?" 

"CJ, Josh loves Pat, they're fine. I'm sure Donna's keeping an eye on both of them." 

"I can't rely on everyone else anymore, you know," CJ said quietly. "Not since I left work specifically to mother my munchkins. I can't ask for help without looking hypocritical." 

"CJ, no one is calling you a hypocrite if you need time to rest." 

"I guess..." she said, not entirely convinced. 

"Claudia, listen to me, will you?" Leo asked gently. "You and the kids are important to each other, and that's all that matters." 

She settled back on the couch to finish nursing Ari. When she was done she gathered the rest of the kids and headed for home. 

Leo managed to make it home at a reasonable time and they had dinner together as a family, just the 6 of them. 

CJ tucked all of the kids in bed at a decent hour, and made sure that they were staying put before going into the bedroom. Leo was lounging on the bed, smiling. "It's 8:30," he said. "Whatcha wanna do?" 

"Oh hush," she giggled as he pulled her down onto the bed for a kiss. 

She broke the kiss and was starting to unbutton his shirt when they heard the familiar sounds of little feet on the hardwood floor of the hallway. 

CJ rolled off Leo as Pat stood outside the locked door and started to cry. 

"Leo, your children have horrible timing." she teased as she got up. 

"My children? YOUR children," he muttered as she went to open the door. 

"Hi, sweetie," she said, scooping Pat up into her arms. "What's wrong?" 

"Can't sleep." he mumbled as he wrapped his little arms around her neck. 

CJ carried him to the bed and put him down next to Leo. 

"Well," she said softly to her son, "it's pretty boring in here. We were just gonna turn on the TV and watch CNN, and then go to sleep." 

Pat made a little noise of disgust and cuddled up between his parents. 

Leo looked at CJ and just shrugged his shoulders. He got up and changed into pajamas while CJ turned on CNN. Not much had happened in the world in the few hours since Leo had left the office. 

But the pace was about to pick up. The election was a little over 6 months away and CJ was preparing herself to basically be a single mother for a while. 

Thank goodness she had Michelle to fall back on, or she would probably go insane. And yes, she did feel bad, abandoning the campaign before it had really even begun. But her family was more important. 

She waited till Pat was asleep before taking him back to bed, and checking on the others. She went back into the bedroom and smiled at a sleepy Leo. 

"Let's try again later," she said softly, kissing him on the cheek and going to the bathroom to get changed for bed. 

By the time she got back Leo was snoring softly. She chuckled and climbed into the bed next to him. She brushed back his hair, kissed his forehead and pulled the quilt up over the two of them. 

When she woke up the next morning, he had already left and his side of the bed was already cold. With a sigh, she rolled over onto his pillow, missing him already. 

There were footsteps in the hallway, and Michelle poked her head in. "CJ?" she said softly. 

"Yeah, I'm awake..." 

"I'm taking Pat and Ari with me to the grocery." 

"Ari's been awfully quiet this morning..." 

"I gave her a bottle earlier, and she's fine," Michelle assured her. 


	6. McGarry House of Hell 6

**McGarry House of Hell**

**by: Ginny and Becky**

**Pairing(s):** CJ/Leo  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Disclaimer:** The usual, not mine etc.  
**Summary:** Further adventures of the McGarry clan. Sequel to "You Could Drive A Person Crazy"  
**Feedback:** Feedback is appreciated.  


* * *

Part 6 

CJ got up and checked on Kate, she was still asleep. She grabbed the breast pump and the newspaper before settling down on the couch. Twenty minutes later she had a bottle ready to put in the freezer and she could hear Kate babbling in her room. 

She made a bowl of oatmeal with jelly and took it into Kate's room. "Good morning, honey," she said with a smile. "Ready for breakfast?" 

"MAMAMAMAMA!" Kate crowed. 

"I'll take that as a yes," CJ teased, settling down and offering Kate a spoonful of cereal. 

Kate finished her oatmeal in record time and CJ got her dressed and in her chair. It was a nice day so CJ pushed her outside onto the patio and took her own breakfast out to eat. 

While Kate was content to watch the squirrels and the neighbor's cat run around the yard CJ made a list, a long list of things she needed to do. From doctor's appointments to shopping for a mini van. 

The phone rang, and she picked it up. "Hello?" 

"Hi, honey," Leo said. "How're things going?" 

"Fine... you left early." 

"Yeah, I had to. We had a thing." 

"Ah." 

"So how are things going?" 

"Good. Michelle dropped Rose off at school and took Pat and Ari to the food store. Kate and I are out on the patio. She ate a good breakfast and is now watching the squirrels." 

"What are you doing?" 

"Making a huge list of things I need to do." 

"Well, don't. Just relax." 

"Easy for you to say -- know anyone you can get a good used van off of?" 

"You're gonna drive a van?" 

"A minivan, yeah." 

"CJ, you're gonna turn into the soccer mom of the new millennium here." 

"Just don't ask me to join the PTA -- I'd probably kill someone." 

"Yeah, probably. And by the way, we don't need to buy a used van CJ. We can certainly afford a new one." he pointed out as he shook his head. She still had problems remembering that everything he had was hers too. 

"Yeah, but..." 

"No buts, CJ. Go online and find a van you like, and I'll talk to some people and find out what one's best for us, okay? And then you and I will go get one." 

"It's a van, Leo." 

"Yeah. I know. Maybe we should ask Kate's opinion?" 

She flinched. "That wasn't supposed to be funny, was it?" 

"Apparently not. Look, I'm going to get my foot out of my mouth and then I have a meeting with Jed. I'll call you later, ok?" 

Silence. 

"OK, CJ?" he sighed wearily. 

"Yeah, fine." 

"I love you, CJ" he said quietly as Margaret came into his office. 

"I know, love you too." 

He hung up and glared at Margaret. "What?" 

"Nothing. You need the number for Carmine's House of Flowers?" she smirked. 

"No, not yet, anyway." he said with a grin. 

"You sure?" she asked. 

"Go do a job, would ya?" 

"Will a dozen roses cut it?" 

"Make it two." 

"Oh, it's bad, then -- what did you do?" 

"Shut up." 

"Okay, okay -- American Beauties if they can get 'em?" 

"Yeah." 

As Margaret left Leo looked up to see Jed in the doorway. 

"You know Leo, you're down to one income now. Better stop putting your foot in your mouth so you can cut down on the florist bill." 

"Ha, ha. You ready to meet with, who ever the hell we are meeting with." mumbled Leo as he picked up a file looking for his glasses. 

"The director of the National Endowment for the Humanities, Leo -- Nancy Hartwell. She wants to propose a government-funded youth in service organization. She keeps forgetting one thing." 

"Which is?" 

"Where's the money coming from?" 

"Ah, well that would be a problem." he muttered as he finally located his glasses. 

The meeting went well. They both had some suggestions for Nancy Hartwell. By the time Leo got some lunch and got back to his desk there was a message from CJ, thanking him for the flowers and asking if he would be home for dinner. He glanced at the schedule Margaret had placed on his desk. Didn't look like dinner was a possibility at all. He was booked up until 9:00. 

He dialed home and CJ picked up. "Hello?" 

"Hey. Dinner's not an option, unless you want to stay up till late." 

"It's okay -- Margaret already told me that. So, we'll have tuna noodle casserole. You hate that, won't miss it so much." 

"Yuck, no I won't miss that. I have a dinner meeting anyway. Want me to wake you when I get in?" 

"Only if it's before midnight. I gotta go Michelle just walked in with the kids." 

"OK, love you. Kiss the kids for me." 

"Love you, too -- I will. Bye..." 

"Bye," he said softly, then hung up. He looked up at Margaret. "What's next?" 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

It was well after midnight when Leo staggered into the house exhausted and hungry. He made a grilled cheese sandwich and ate it in front of the TV before hauling himself up the stairs and falling into bed next to CJ for an uneventful, uninterrupted 4 and a half hours of sleep. 

When he finally stirred, CJ was sitting up beside him in bed, nursing Arianna. "Hey, sleepyhead -- Jed called a few minutes ago," she said. 

"Aw, hell..." 

"He said you need to stay home today and get some rest," she continued. "And I agree -- you don't look very well." 

Leo started to argue but then he realized that he really didn't feel well at all. He curled back up under the quilt and went back to sleep when CJ took Ari down the hall to get the other kids up. 

He heard Kate whine, "Dadada?" and CJ say very softly, "Daddy's sleeping, honey -- he's sick. But we're gonna get you up and dressed, because you get to meet a new doctor today!" 

Kate's face showed no reaction to the word "doctor". 

CJ got her dressed and ready to go while Michelle took Rose to school and Pat to the park. She checked on Leo before she left. He was still asleep. She pressed a hand against his cheek, he was pretty warm. She left a couple of Advil and a glass of water on the table next to him. 

When she finally got home that evening, she was exhausted and the thought of dealing with two more kids and a sick Leo was enough to make her cry in the car. 

Kate had immediately been sent for MRIs and other imaging scans, and CJ had been forced to sit through it all. 

Michelle took over for CJ so she could check on Leo. Kate was tired from her long day of tests and Rose was doing her homework while Pat watched a movie. 

CJ climbed the stairs slowly. She quietly opened the door to the bedroom. Leo was sound asleep with a book on his chest and his glasses on. After she took his glasses off and removed the book she kissed his forehead to check his temperature. She frowned when she realized he was running quite a fever. 

"Hey," she said softly, shaking him a little to wake him. 

"Mmm..." he groaned. 

"It's just me," she whispered. "You're running a fever." 

He grunted and closed his eyes again. 

She grabbed some more Advil and refilled his glass. 

"Leo" she said, nudging him. 

He sat up enough to take the pills and drink a little water. 

"You feel okay?" she asked softly. 

"Like shit." 

"Yeah." 

"What'd they say about Kate?" 

"Not a lot -- they ran her through about 20 different scans and tests and things." She lay down beside him and closed her eyes. "They did say she's showing marked improvement, though." 

"That's great." he mumbled as he closed his eyes again. 

When CJ reached out to rub his back he flinched. "Back hurts?" she asked unnecessarily as she thought back to the nasty kidney infection he had had years before. It was right after they had gotten engaged. 

"Yeah." he sighed, "I'll go to the doctor tomorrow." 

"Ya know, maybe we should just get a live-in doctor around here." teased CJ. 

Leo chuckled softly. 

She kissed him on the cheek and cuddled up. "Aren't you cold?" she asked, pulling the covers up. 

"A little..." He sighed. "Ari behaved?" 

"She was an angel." 

He snorted. "That's difficult to believe." 

"Yeah, it sure is. I'm gonna go eat with the kids, you want anything?" 

"No, I'm not hungry." 

"Did you eat anything today?" 

"Not really." 

"Leo, you have to at least drink something. You want a cup of tea?" 

"Yeah, when you're done dinner, don't hurry." 

She kissed his cheek again and tucked the quilt around him before heading downstairs. 

When she got downstairs, she saw Rose and Pat sitting at the table, playing with their pork chops and peas. Rose picked up one of her peas and wrinkled her nose. 

"Eat up, kids," CJ said with a smile. "I brought some dessert..." 

Their eyes lit up and not too surprisingly the peas disappeared, along with the rest of their dinner. CJ gave them the cookies she had picked up at the bakery before putting the teakettle on to make Leo's tea. 

Michelle came in with a smile. "You'll never guess what we found at the grocery yesterday that they absolutely love." 

"What?" CJ asked absently, looking in the cupboard for some tea. 

"Chinese-style dried peas. They ate the whole bag at snack time." 

CJ looked at the kids, who grinned and shrugged their shoulders. 

"Mommy, can we go up and see Daddy?" asked Rose. 

"In a little while, he's resting and I'm going to take up some tea to him. You can go in and see him before you go to bed." 

"Is he sick?" Pat asked with a frown. 

"Yeah, sweetie..." 

"He read Winnie-Pooh to me today... he's not sick." 

"Yeah, Pat, he is -- he just wants to be brave and make you think he's not sick." 

"Oh, ok." said Pat as he slid off the chair and went to play in his room. 

CJ poured the tea and took it upstairs. 

"Hey," she said as Leo glanced up at her and smiled. "Feeling better?" 

"Not really. I heard you tell Pat I'm trying to be brave." 

"Well, what was I supposed to tell him? That you're a fool that can't take a break when you need one?" 

"Well, I guess not," he replied quietly, not really in the mood to start an argument. 

"Here." she said as she turned on the light and handed him the tea. 

He thanked her and sipped the tea. "I've got to go in early tomorrow..." 

"You're not going anywhere." 

"CJ..." 

"Let Josh handle things, Leo -- you're sick." She went tot he dresser and got a scrunchie to pull her hair back out of her face. "I'm going out to get some stuff at the store -- we need more diapers." 

"Again?" he groaned. 

"Yeah. You want anything?" 

"Uh, cranberry juice, I guess. And some Cherries Garcia." 

She laughed. "I found a new thing the other day, y'know... Edy's Dreamery ice cream. I tried the Black Raspberry Rush or whatever, and it blew the hell outta Cherries Garcia..." 

"CJ, please, I'm sick here," he whined, "Cherries Garcia." 

"Fine" she giggled as she took the mug from him. 

"Go, have fun with your... diaper run." 

"I'm gonna pick up some sparkling cider, too -- you forgetting what tomorrow is?" 

He made a face like he was deep in thought for a few seconds before CJ smacked him on the back of the head. 

"Ow, Claudia Jean did you really think I would forget our Anniversary?" 

"I wouldn't put it past you," she teased, leaning down to kiss him. "Get some sleep, and I'll bring you your ice cream." 

"Good..." Leo pulled the covers up higher and closed his eyes. 

CJ left the house and was almost to the food store when she realized that this was the first time she had been truly alone since they brought Kate home from California. She grinned as she turned up the radio and started to sing along. 

She almost missed the car phone going ballistic, rather inclined to ignore it until it got truly annoying. "CJ Cregg..." 

"Hey, Ceej, how're things?" 

"Mindy!" she shrieked. "Oh MY GOD! I haven't heard from you in AGES! Not since you came out for the wedding..." 

"I've been hiding under a rock," Mindy, CJ's best friend from college, teased. "You still in DC?" 

"Thereabouts, yeah -- you in town?" 

"For a couple of days, yeah... can you fit me into your busy schedule?" Mindy asked. 

"Hey, I quit my job and I'm home with the kids -- busy schmsy. You wanna stay at the house?" 

"Kids, as in plural?" teased Mindy. 

"Yeah, four." 

"Four, and you want me to stay at the house, no way. I'll stay in a hotel. You free for lunch tomorrow?" 

"Uh, give me a call in the morning. Leo's not feeling too well and I want to see how he is in the morning before I make any plans." 

"No problem. I'll talk to you tomorrow." 

"Great, bye." 

CJ hung up the phone as she pulled in the parking lot of the food store. She parked and got out of the car. When she came back with some groceries, including the much-vaunted snack peas and the much-desired Cherries Garcia, she watched in mute anger as someone backed right into the bumper of her car. 

"ASSHOLE!" she shouted, flipping the person the finger as they drove off. 

Not having the kids around was liberating, she suddenly realized. With a big grin on her face she started the car and turned up the radio again. She was amazed at the difference in her mood by the time she got home. 

She nursed Ari and put her down while Michelle got Rose and Kate settled in for the night. Pat was already asleep next to Leo. 

Smiling, she scooped Pat up into her arms and carried him to his bed, where he curled up with his favorite hand-me-down Pooh toy from Rose, and sucked his thumb as he slept. CJ kissed him on the cheek and covered him up before going back to her room and checking Leo's fever. 

His eyes opened and he jolted as soon as she touched him. "Cold hands," he mumbled. 

"No, warm cheek. Let me get the thermometer." 

She changed into her pajamas while he sat with the thermometer under his tongue. 

"How bad?" he asked as she took it out. 

"101.7" 

He mumbled. 

"It's not bad," CJ teased. "It's one of those good fevers -- burns out the bad stuff." 

"Burns out my insides..." 

"You big baby." 

Leo just rolled his eyes. 

"Seriously, if you can't get an appointment with the doctor in the morning call Abbey and she can run a culture for you." 

"Oh great, that's just what I want. The First Lady of the United States handing me a cup to pee in." he groaned. 

CJ smacked him lightly with the pillow. 

"HEY!" 

"Think of it this way, Leo -- she could be asking you to turn and cough." 

"CLAUDIA!" 

She smirked. "But, then again, that's my job..." 

Leo groaned again as he pulled the pillow over his face and screamed in to it. 

CJ laughed. 

"Get some sleep. I'm gonna check on the kids and I'll be back in a little while." 

"Kay" 

She kissed the pillow, since he hadn't taken it off of his face yet, and practically skipped out of the room, aware that Leo had removed the pillow and was watching her backside as she left. 

Kate was not asleep but was gurgling quietly to herself. Ari was sound asleep and drooling all over her blanket. Pat was still curled up around Pooh. And Rose was asleep with a doll that Michelle had given her. 

CJ returned to the bedroom, curled up next to Leo and promptly fell asleep. A few hours later she awoke to the unmistakable sound of Leo in the bathroom, tossing his cookies. She groaned and rolled out of the bed to go check on him. 

She helped him finish and clean up and got him tucked back into bed. "So much for a happy anniversary," she muttered under her breath. 

"Rain check on a romantic dinner," Leo groaned. "And hotel..." 

"Yeah" she said softly as she brushed back his hair and kissed his forehead. 

He slept restlessly the remainder of the night but didn't get sick again. Pat woke them both by jumping on the bed a little after 6. 

"Pat, don't bounce," CJ scolded. "Daddy's still sick." 

Pat pouted. "Sorry... want my Pooh, daddy?" 

Leo chuckled. "What is it with our children and Pooh?" 

"Kate hates Pooh," CJ mumbled, putting her head under the pillow. 

"Whatever," muttered Leo as Pat curled up next to him and patted his cheek. 

The next thing Leo knew was the sun was streaming in the windows and he was all alone in the bed. He rolled over with a groan and glanced at the clock, 8:45. There was a note from CJ on the bedside table saying she had taken Rose to school and the rest of the kids to the park. Also that Leo had an 11:00 appointment with the doctor. He hauled himself to the shower, cringing at his reflection in the mirror over the bathroom sink. 

By 10:30 he had showered, dressed, had some tea and toast, read the paper and talked to Josh 3 times and Jed twice. He started to grab his briefcase off of the chair in the foyer when he noticed a yellow sticky note on the front. Another note from CJ. 

~~~~~~~~~~ 

Leave the briefcase; you're not going to work. CJ. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

He chuckled to himself as he set the briefcase back down and grabbed the car keys. 

When he got back from the doctor's office, CJ was feeding the kids lunch. Pat was happily digging into a plate of spaghetti noodles and Parmesan cheese, and Michelle was feeding Kate a turkey sandwich. CJ was nursing Ari and trying to eat a sandwich, with limited success. 

Leo grabbed a can of Coke from the fridge and sat down at the table. He took a look at the food on the table and promptly decided his stomach wasn't up to eating. He stood up again and walked to lean against the counter. 

"Guess, I don't need to ask if you're hungry?" 

"Uh, no. I'll try and eat something later." 

"So what did the doctor say?" asked CJ as she propped Ari up on her shoulder to burp her. 

"It's a virus." 

"Ah... yeah." CJ looked at him doubtfully. 

"CJ, it's a virus -- he says I should be over it in a couple of days." 

"Okay..." 

"Look, you want to call the doctor and ask him yourself?" 

"No, I really don't." 

"Good, they took blood and I peed in the cup. Nothing showed up but he's going to run a culture anyway. He said to take it easy for another day or so." 

"You definition of taking it easy or mine? Cause your definition involves only working a 10 hour day and mine involves lounging around on the couch and letting me fuss over you." 

He shot her a Look. "You can't very well fuss over me with all our kids..." he commented dryly. 

"I can so," she protested. "Mindy's in town for a couple of days -- remember, my maid of honor? She's coming over for dinner, if you think you're up to it..." 

"Well, our anniversary was shot anyway, with my being sick, so sure." 

"Good, I'm going to get Ari down for a nap and Pat and Kate settled down with a video. Why don't you go up and change?" 

"Sure" said Leo with a shrug of his shoulders. He kissed the kids and grabbed the can of soda off the counter before heading upstairs 

CJ watched him with a worried look on her face as he climbed the stairs slowly. 

"Eat up, sweetie," she told Pat, kissing the top of his head as she stood up to follow Leo. She got to the bedroom doorway as soon as he had just laid down. "You sure you're feeling okay, honey?" 

"I'm sick, Ceej, of course I'm not feeling okay," he quipped dryly. 

"You know what I meant, Leo..." 

"I'm fine," he assured her. "Ari's asleep, you know." 

"Yeah, I know. Get some rest, I'll be back in a little while." she said as she leaned over to plant a kiss on his warm cheek. 

"Don't say it," he whined, "I know, I'm warm. I already took some Advil." 

"Good." 

"Get some rest, honey," she whispered, pulling the covers up and kissing him again. 

"Go take care of the kids," Leo insisted, shooing her away. 

"Yes, dear," she chuckled. "Mind if I leave Ari with you?" 

"Not until she wakes up and screams." 

CJ put Ari on the other side of Leo, next to the wall. Luckily for Leo, Ari slept for two straight hours and woke up happy. CJ heard her and took her out of the room before she could start getting loud, leaving behind a still sleeping Leo. 

"Well, Pitter Patter mine," CJ said to Pat, who was propped up on his "helper stool" in the kitchen, "what are we gonna make for supper?" 

"Paschetti!" Pat crowed with a grin. 

CJ laughed. He still couldn't say spaghetti to save his life. 

"Well, little man, you had spaghetti for lunch so how about we try something different?" asked CJ as she opened the fridge to check out the food situation. "Mommy's friend Mindy is coming for dinner so you and your sisters are going to eat early and Mommy and Daddy will eat later." 

"Is Daddy eating dinner too, or he still sick?" 

"Good question Pat, I'm not too sure." 

"Can we have chicken fingers and fries?" 

"Sure." said CJ as she opened the fridge and grabbed the bag of chicken and the box of fries. 

Rose burst through the front door with all the force of an eight year old. "Hi, Mommy!" she cried. "Is Daddy still sick?" 

"Yeah, honey... you kids are having chicken fingers and fries for supper, okay?" 

"Yeah... can we have some spinach, too?" 

"Raw or cooked?" 

"Salad, mom." 

"Sure..." 

Pat made a gagging noise. 

"Leo Patrick knock it off, you can have corn." said CJ not in the mood to have a fight over vegetables. 

She started the oven and checked on the pot roast that was cooking in the crock-pot on the counter. Michelle was running around the house straightening up and clearing off the seldom-used dining room table. 

"Okay, CJ, you guys need to have a garage sale," she said. "Or pay your bills once in a while..." 

"Shut up," CJ laughed. "Can you check on Kate? She's awfully quiet out there..." 

Michelle reappeared a minute later, "There would be a good reason why Miss Kate was so quiet." 

"Do I even want to know?" sighed CJ wearily. 

"Probably not. Let's just say that Pat left a half eaten yogurt in the living room." replied Michelle as she grabbed a rag out of the sink. 

Pat took one look at CJ and hopped off the stool to run upstairs. 

"You'd better run." she teased as she watched his little blond head disappear down the hallway. 

CJ sighed and went into the living room. "Katherine..." she said wearily. "You're gonna kill me one of these days, you know?" 

Kate looked ashamed, even as pink yogurt dripped down her chin. 

CJ cleaned her off as Michelle cleaned up the mess on the coffee table. CJ put Kate in her wheelchair and moved her to the kitchen where Rose was starting her homework. 

"Mommy," yelled Pat from the top of the stairs, "Daddy's frowing up in the bathroom." 

CJ did the only thing she could think of and she burst out laughing. 

"Mom are you ok?" asked Rose. 

"Yep, just great. Keep an eye on Kate, I'll be right back." 

Just as she hit the stairs the phone rang. "I got it." yelled Michelle from the living room. 

"McGarry House of Hell, how can I direct your call?" she heard Michelle say. 

CJ just about tripped and fell back down the stairs, she was laughing so hard. 

"CJ, when you get done, you need to call the President back!" Michelle yelled upstairs. 

That started CJ laughing harder as she pushed the bathroom door open. 

"Please, what in God's name is funny right now?" asked Leo with his head hanging over the toilet. 

"I'll explain later." said CJ as she knelt down behind him and rubbed his back while he got sick again. She reached over to the counter and grabbed a washcloth and wet it, placing it on the back of his neck. 

He moaned. She helped clean him up when he was done, and helped him back to bed. "Are you sure it's a virus?" she asked worriedly. 

"It's a virus and I have a weakened immune system because I haven't been taking good care of myself," Leo replied with a groan. 

"OK. I'll buy that." she said quietly. 

She pulled the quilt up around him and put the cool washcloth on his forehead. 

"I have to go make a few phone calls, I'll be back in a few minutes." 

CJ went down to the kitchen to call Mindy and cancel dinner. After she put the kids dinner on the table she called Jed. 

"Hello, sir, it's CJ," she said when he picked up. 

"No siring me, Claudia -- I'm your friend, not your boss anymore. How is he?" 

"He's sick. It's a virus." 

"Okay... how're the kids?" 

"Kids are okay." 

"I suppose a happy anniversary..." 

"Our anniversary has been indefinitely postponed," CJ laughed. "Sorry about Michelle earlier. It's just been pretty hectic this afternoon." 

"I can only imagine. A house with 4 kids and a sick Leo, you sure you don't want to come back to work?" teased Jed. 

"I'm gonna say no for now, but if Leo's up all night my answer might change by the morning." she chuckled. 

"Well, I'll let you get back to McGarry's House of Hell. Call Abbey if you need anything." 

"Thanks, I will." 

"Talk to you later." 

"Yeah." 

Jed hung up, and CJ hung up her end and headed back upstairs to check on Leo. He was propped up in the bed with Pat and a storybook. 

"Hey, I thought you were going back to sleep." 

"I was but Pat came in and wanted a story." 

"Yeah, he missed you." she said as she felt his forehead. He was warm but not burning up. "Pat, Michelle's dishing out some ice cream for dessert, why don't you go down and have some with your sisters." 

"Ice cream, yum," he said as he planted a kiss on Leo's cheek and slid off the bed. "Bye Daddy." 

"Bye Pat." 

CJ climbed up onto the bed with Leo and kissed him on the cheek. "Poor baby." 

"Yeah." 

"Get some rest." 

"How's Kate?" 

"She's not very hungry tonight." 

"Oh?" 

"Yeah. Pat left a yogurt in the den and she got into it. Even managed to eat most of it without getting it absolutely everywhere." 

"Well, that's good, I think," remarked Leo wearily as he rolled onto his stomach. 

"Yeah. Jed called to check up on you." 

"What did you tell him, that I'm a stubborn old man and won't slow down?" he mumbled into the pillow. 

"No, actually I didn't." she said as she reached over to rub his back. 

She felt him start to relax as she heard the sounds of Pat and Rose coming up the stairs. Tucking the quilt back around him she went out to cut them off before they burst into the bedroom. 

"Okay, guys, Daddy's sick and he needs to rest. Rose, go do your homework. Pat, go watch Pooh, please. Maybe you and Kate can color." 

"Kate doesn't color," Pat protested. "She just sits there and drools." 

CJ took a deep breath and grabbed Pat's hand. They went into his room and sat on the bed. 

"Pat I know that Kate can't do everything you can do but that's no excuse for being mean. Do you understand?" 

He nodded. 

"Why don't I put Kate on the couch and the two of you can look at some of your books?" 

Pat thought about it for a few seconds before agreeing. 

Twenty minutes later, Pat and Kate we giggling in the living room, Rose was at the breakfast bar doing her homework, Ari was in the bouncy seat on the floor and Michelle and CJ were enjoying the pot roast. 

"This is really good," Michelle commented. "Too bad Leo can't have any..." 

"Leo doesn't like pot roast," CJ said, idly pushing her potatoes around her plate. "I'm not really hungry anymore. I'm going to go start putting stuff up." 

"I'll do it, why don't you go out and sit on the front steps for a few minutes by yourself." offered Michelle. 

"Thanks." 

"No problem, take your time, I'll get the kids ready for bed." 

CJ spent a whole hour by herself out on the steps with only the sounds of traffic and an occasional squirrel to keep her company. It was heavenly. When she went back in she nursed Ari and put her down for the night. Rose was in her room reading and Pat and Kate were already sleeping. 

She went back down to have some ice cream and read the paper. Leo wandered down about 11, looking marginally better. He sat down at the kitchen table and put his feet up on the chair across from him. 

"Hey, feeling any better?" 

"Yeah, I think so. Kind of hungry." 

"There's some leftover mashed potatoes, you wanna try them?" 

"Sure." 

She dished up some potatoes for him and brought them to the table. "You get anymore sleep?" 

"A little." 

She nodded. "Okay." 

She went back to reading the paper as Leo ate a little bit of the potatoes. He got the Cherries Garcia out of the freezer and ate a little of that too. 

"I'm gonna take a warm bath." he said as he got up and walked out of the room. 

Rose looked up from her homework. "Mom, Dad looks terrible." she commented as she watched Leo turn down the hallway. 

"He doesn't feel so good, either, sweetie," CJ sighed, rubbing her eyes. "Okay, you done?" 

"Yeah..." 

"Bath and bed." 

"Okay." Rose headed for the stairs. "Mommy?" 

"Yeah?" 

"What's a prostate?" 

CJ blinked. "Why, honey?" 

"Because I heard Daddy on the phone talking to someone about prostate cancer yesterday," Rose whispered, ashamed at having been caught snooping. 

"Don't worry about it, I'll explain it in the morning. You need to go take a bath and get ready for bed." 

CJ sat down at the kitchen table as all sorts of horrific images went through her mind. Part of her wanted to run upstairs, wake Leo and find out just who it was he was talking to on the phone. But he needed his rest so she did the next best thing. She went into the den to snoop around the desk and the computer. 

She came up empty handed, no notes scribbled on pieces of paper, no tell-tale websites on the history log, nothing. 

CJ was heading back to the kitchen to check to see if there was milk for breakfast when she heard Leo on the stairs. She met him at the bottom of the staircase. 

"Hey, how ya feeling?" 

"Better? Maybe...I don't know." he sighed wearily. 

"Oh. Did you notice if Rose was in bed when you passed by her room?" 

"Yeah, she was asleep." 

CJ took a deep breath and then the words just tumbled out, "Who were talking on the phone with about prostate cancer?" 

Leo gave her a strange look that CJ couldn't quite figure out. 

"What?" 

"Rose overheard you. Leo what's going on?" she asked a little louder than she had intended. 

"CJ, I can't tell you," he sighed. "But it's not me, if that's what you're worried about. It's someone else who is...who may be sick." 

"Leo... it's not you?" She planted herself in front of him. "It's not you? SO help me GOD, if I find out that you didn't tell me the truth..." 

"CJ, Claudia, honey, it's not me." 

She inhaled deeply and nodded, trying to push back tears borne of panic thwarted. "Okay. Okay. Oh, God -- it's not Jed, is it?" 

"No." 

She breathed a sigh of relief. 

Leo reached out to take her hand. She looked up at him but he couldn't meet her gaze and then it hit her, she knew who it was. 

"Toby?" she whispered quietly. 

Leo said nothing; he just pulled her into his arms and held her as she started shaking. He slowly steered them towards the couch and pulled her down next to him. 

"CJ, honey, nothing is definite. Don't panic yet. He's still waiting on some test results." 

"Why didn't he tell me?" she wondered, half aloud, half to herself. 

"He didn't want you to worry until he had all the test results. Look, it's not too late, why don't you call him?" 

"I will, in a minute." she said as she reached for the box of tissues on the end table. 

Leo hugged her and kissed her gently on the cheek. "Rose shouldn't have been spying." 

"She wasn't... and the only reason I found out was because she didn't know what a prostate was." CJ began to laugh. 

Leo laughed a little too as he wiped the tears from CJ's eyes. 

"Here," he said handing her the cordless phone, "Why don't you go sit on the front steps and give him a call?" 

CJ nodded, kissed his cheek and took the phone outside. 

With shaking hands, she dialed the phone. When Toby picked up, the first thing out of her mouth was, "Why the hell didn't you tell me?" 

"Hello to you, too." 

"Toby.." she said in a voice that made him cringe. 

"Look, I don't want to do this over the phone. Can I come over?" 

"Yeah, the kids are sleeping and Leo still doesn't feel well so I'm sure he'll be going to bed soon." 

"See you in 20 minutes." 

"I'll be here." She hung up and went inside to get some bottles of tea. She knew they would go through quite a few by the time the night was over. 

She was back out on the front porch when Toby drove up. 

He gave her a little smile as he sat down next to her on the top step. She handed him a bottle of tea. As hard as it was for her, she didn't yell, she didn't push, she didn't say a word. She just gave him the time and the space he needed to gather his thoughts. 

"It's not for sure yet," he said with a sigh. "They did some tests before I left for California with you. I'm supposed to get the results tomorrow." 

"What does Ginger think?" CJ asked. 

"Why should Ginger care?" 

She poked him in the side. "Don't think I'm that blind, Toby." 

"No, I don't. I just thought we weren't uh, obvious." he said with a smile. 

"Let's put it this way, I'm guessing that Sam and Josh don't have a clue but Donna and Carol do." 

"So it's some girl thing?" he teased. 

"Yeah." 

"Is she going with you tomorrow?" 

"She, who?" he asked with all the innocence he could muster. CJ just rolled her eyes at him. "Yes, she's going with me." 

"Good. Now, why didn't you tell me?" 

"Because you have enough to worry about. I didn't want to add anything else." 

"Toby, I have to take Ari in for a battery of tests starting the day after tomorrow. Nothing could make me more worried than what those tests might reveal." She patted his hand. "So don't get upset about me worrying about you. One more thing isn't going to kill me. And you scared me shitless when I thought it was LEO who..." She took a deep breath and shook her head. 

"Oh God, I'm sorry, I had no idea..." said Toby as he put his arm around her shoulders. 

"It's ok," sniffed CJ, "Rose overheard the conversation you had with Leo yesterday and tonight she asked me what a prostate was. So naturally I assumed it was Leo." 

"And let me guess, you started yelling at him?" 

"Actually, no. But that's probably just because he still feels like crap from this virus that he can't seem to shake." 

Toby nodded. "Yeah, but if he was well, you'd've launched into him like no one's business, right?" 

"I don't know." She took a shaky breath. "I just don't know." 

"Josh gave Donna her ring in the Mess during lunch today." 

"Good," she said, laughing a little. "Married life will do them well, I think." 

"Yeah." 

"I'm gonna go in and check on the kids, you want to come in?" 

"Nah, I think I'll stay here." 

CJ went in and checked on the kids and Leo. All were sound asleep. She grabbed some more tea and a bag of potato chips out of the pantry. As she got to the threshold she saw Toby leaning over with his head in his hands. She went back into the living room to grab the box of tissues before heading back outside. 

"Hey," she said softly, offering him the box. 

He straightened up and forced a smile. "Hey." 

"I come bearing junk food," she said with a smirk. 

"Got any cherry garcia?" Toby asked. 

"Yeah, but Leo's gotten his germy lips all over it." 

"No thanks, then." 

CJ chuckled while Toby took out a tissue and blew his nose. They sat in silence for a while, watching the stars in the sky and the squirrels in the trees. 

"Whatcha thinking about?" asked CJ as she nudged him with her shoulder. 

"Well, I've spent the last few days thinking about what I'm going to do if I get bad news, so I was thinking about what to do if I get good news." 

CJ smirked. "So, what are you gonna do if it's good news?" 

"Well, regardless, I'm gonna turn Ginger into an honest woman." 

"Don't you mean she'll turn YOU into an honest man?" CJ teased, putting her arm around his shoulders. 

"Something like that." Toby muttered as he reached for the bag of chips. 

Eventually they both starting yawning and CJ convinced him to just crash on the couch and spend the night. She got him some sweatpants and a tee shirt to sleep in while he went into the kitchen to call Ginger. 

CJ hugged him and gave him a kiss goodnight, then trudged up the stairs to bed herself. Leo woke up as she climbed into bed. 

"How's Toby?" he mumbled. 

"Asleep on the couch." 

"Mmmhmm..." 

"Go back to sleep," she whispered, kissing his cheek. 

Toby woke the next morning to the feeling of a little body climbing onto the couch with him. 

"Hi Uncle Toby" said Pat as if finding Toby on the couch at 6 in the morning was a normal occurrence. 

Toby rubbed his eyes and sat up as Pat grabbed the remote and made himself comfortable in his lap. 

"CJ!" Toby rumbled. "Your kid is in my lap!" 

CJ appeared at the top of the stairs. "So what? I'm kind of busy at the moment, so take a chill pill and I will get back with you." 

"Well Pat, looks like your mom could be a while so what should we do?" asked Toby trying to at least pretend he enjoyed being woken up by a preschooler. 

"Well, she's probably feeding Ari now, so I usually watch TV. Did you know my Mommy can feed Ari without a bottle? Milk comes out of her..." 

"Stop" groaned Toby, "Yes, I am well aware of how your mother feeds Arianna. So you said something about watching TV?" he muttered, very eager to change the subject. 

"I watch Clifford and Calliou," Pat volunteered, expertly flipping from CNN to PBS. 

"Oh God," Toby mumbled. "I'm in preschool hell." 

By the time CJ came downstairs twenty minutes later Toby was about to pull out what little hair he had left. Pat was watching Clifford and all the while he was giving a blow by blow description of what was happening on the screen. 

"Coffee?" asked CJ as she walked through the room. 

"God, yes." said Toby as he picked Pat up off of his lap and deposited him on the couch. He went into the kitchen and took Ari from CJ so she could get the coffee maker started. 

"Thanks," CJ mumbled, dumping grounds in the percolator. "Sleep well?" 

"Until I was deposited in hell." 

"McGarry's House of Hell, Michelle calls it -- she doesn't like Clifford or Caillou, either." 


	7. McGarry House of Hell 7

**McGarry House of Hell**

**by: Ginny and Becky**

**Pairing(s):** CJ/Leo  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Disclaimer:** The usual, not mine etc.  
**Summary:** Further adventures of the McGarry clan. Sequel to "You Could Drive A Person Crazy"  
**Feedback:** Feedback is appreciated.  


* * *

Part 7 

"Ah" muttered Toby as he sat down at the table. 

"You hungry?" asked CJ as she turned from the counter to look at him. 

"No, not really." he answered quietly. 

CJ sighed and walked behind him. She put her hands on his shoulders and leaned over to plant a kiss on the top of his head. "It's gonna be ok." she said in what she was sure wasn't exactly a convincing tone. 

"OK, I get sick for a few days so now my wife is kissing some other guy in my kitchen. Some guy who is wearing my clothes, sitting in my seat and probably going to be using my coffee mug." teased Leo from the doorway. 

"Morning, sweetie." CJ said as she walked over to kiss his cheek, and of course check his temperature in the process. Not too warm, maybe things were getting better. 

"Hey, Leo" muttered Toby as he started to get up out of the Leo's chair. 

"Sit" he said, motioning Toby back down. 

They made small talk while waiting for the coffee to finish, carefully staying away from any uncomfortable subjects. Rose and Pat wandered in looking for breakfast. Michelle took Ari from Toby and went to check on Kate. 

"Why don't you guys go eat your pop tarts in the den," CJ suggested mildly. 

"Okay," Pat said cheerfully, heading back out to the land of PBS. 

Rose, on the other hand rolled her eyes and grumbled, but finally complied. 

The adults sat and drank some coffee and tried to think of begnin subjects to discuss. When it was clear they were failing miserably Toby put his mug in the sink and headed to the bathroom to change and get ready to leave. 

"You going to the doctor's with him?" Leo asked CJ. 

"No, he has someone to go with him." 

"Who?" 

"Leo," she said sarcastically, "How dense can you be?" 

"I don't think I wanna answer that." he mumbled. 

"Good idea. Ginger's going with him." 

"Oh, ok." 

"Don't make it an issue." 

"Hey, they're adults." 

CJ blinked. "Ah... okay." 

"I'm gonna try to go in for a couple of hours." 

"No, Leo, you're not." 

"CJ," he whined, "I've been out for two days now. I need to make sure the country hasn't fallen apart without me." 

"Leo what is it that Jed always says...oh yeah, leave it up to your deputy cause frankly he's smarter than you." 

"My deputy's too busy being in love at the moment." 

"Leo, Josh is perfectly capable, even if he is in love." she smirked. "How about this, you take it easy this morning and after lunch you can go for two hours, tops." 

"Fine." he muttered as he poured himself another cup of coffee. 

"And that's it for the coffee, have some food." 

"Yes, Ma'am." he yelled as she left the room. 

He reached for the sugar and smirked. That was food enough. 

CJ went into the living room. "Okay, Rosie, babe, it's time for you to go to school." 

Rose sighed and got up off of the floor, crossing the room and handing her mother her backpack. 

"Hey, you, what's wrong?" CJ asked quietly. 

"I don't feel good, but nobody'll listen so I can say so," Rose whined. 

CJ bent down to press her lips to Rose's forehead. She was running a nice fever. 

"OK, you're hot. Why don't you put your pajamas back on, pick out a movie and get into my bed. I'll be up in a minute with some Advil and some juice, ok?" 

Rose nodded and headed to her room. CJ stuck her head in the kitchen. "OK, I believe it's just a virus." she admitted. 

"Huh?" asked Leo as he looked up from the paper. 

"Rose's sick." 

Leo sighed. "She gonna be okay?" 

"Sure... I just had her go get her PJ's on and she's gonna climb into our bed." 

Leo rolled his eyes. "What, so I can get sick again?" 

"Shut up. I don't need you sick again." She hugged him from behind and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. "I don't wanna let you go right now," she sighed, kissing him again. 

"Well, honey..." 

"No, please don't say anything crushingly sensible. You know I hate it when you do that." 

"Yeah, that's why I don't do it very often." he said dryly. 

CJ chuckled as she ran her hands through his sandy hair. 

"Love you," she whispered, kissing him again. 

"Love you, too..." 

Pat came running in as fast as his short legs could carry him. "Mommy, Mommy! Rosie puked on the carpet!" 

CJ and Leo sighed together. 

"You keep an eye on Pat, I'll take care of Rose." said CJ as she headed to Rose's room. 

Twenty minutes later Rose was snuggled up on CJ's bed, her carpet was clean, Pat, Kate and Michelle were on their way out for a walk, Ari was napping, Leo was in the shower and CJ was standing in the middle to the kitchen contemplating what to do next. 

With shaking hands, she started to pull vegetables out of the fridge to make soup. As she chopped, she became more and more worried about everything around her. 

"CJ, be careful!" Leo shouted as he came into the room and managed to keep her from chopping off part of her finger. He noticed the look on her face and took the knife away. "Honey, what's wrong?" 

CJ walked to the breakfast bar and sat down with her head in her hands. Leo stood next to her and rubbed her back. She took a deep breath. 

"I don't know. I'm beginning to think I am more cut out to handle a room full of rowdy reporters than a house full of kids.." 

"And a pain in the ass husband?" teased Leo. 

"Yeah, something like that." 

"CJ you've been home less than a week, there's a virus going through the house, Kate is still settling in, you're worried about your best friend. You have every right to be a little overwhelmed." he said softly. 

She nodded and began to cry. "I think I'm gonna go... uh... do something. I just need to get out of the house." 

Leo rubbed her back comfortingly. "Okay. I'll make sure Michelle knows." 

"Thank you." she said as she stood up and hugged him. 

CJ dressed quickly and went out the front door with no clear destination in mind. 

She found herself eventually at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial, her head in her hands, a Starbucks at her side. She was still looking down when she saw a pair of brown wingtips stop in front of her. Judging by the fact that the shoes needed to be polished and the pants could use an iron she had a pretty good guess as to who was in front of her. 

"Don't you have a job to do Josh?" 

"I'm taking a quick break. You okay?" 

"What're you doing here?" she asked bleakly, never raising her eyes from the ground. 

"I was gonna come have my coffee. This is my thinking spot." 

She nodded slowly. "Yeah." 

CJ patted the step next to him, "You might as well sit down" 

"Gee, Claudia Jean, thanks for that heartfelt invitation there." said Josh wryly. 

"Oh shut up. God, I hope Donna knows what she's in for...by the way, congratulations." she said with a smile as she kissed his cheek. 

"Thanks. Now are you going to tell me what's wrong or do I have to guess?" 

"Everything and nothing in particular." 

Josh blinked. "Ah, okay..." 

"Rose is sick now. And there's a thing with Toby, and Pat's in the middle of major sibling rivalry, and Kate's a handful, and Ari is finally behaving herself, and Leo's... Leo's just Leo, and goddamnit." She sighed and rubbed her eyes. 

"Oh, well, that's enough to make anyone uh, have a nutty." he teased. 

"Hey," she cried as she smacked the back of his head. 

"So, I guess this is a bad time to ask what you're doing this weekend?" 

"Probably, why?" 

"Cause Donna and I need a couple of uh, witnesses." 

She broke out into a grin. "Wow, you two are moving fast." 

"Well, faster than we had originally planned but there's a reason..." 

"And when would this reason be arriving?" she asked with a smirk. 

"Sometime around inauguration day." 

"You two have perfect timing." 

Josh chuckled. "Yeah, well, we learned from the masters...." 

She smacked him. "Smart ass." 

"Yeah, but you love me anyway." 

"I guess so... you're just like another pesky little brother to me." 

"Yeah and you're just like a big..." Josh's voice faded off. 

They sat in silence for a minute while Josh thought about his sister and CJ thought about the fact that she couldn't imagine her life without her younger brothers. CJ reached out to rub his back. 

"She'd be proud of you." she said quietly. 

Josh nodded slightly as he reached for his coffee. He drained the cup and stood up. 

"I have to get back." 

"You mind if I come with?" she asked. "I don't want to go home yet." 

"Sure -- come say hey to the guys. What's the thing with Toby, anyway?" 

"It's not my place to say..." She sighed. 

"Ah. Well, yeah, come on." 

They walked back to the White House in comfortable silence. It felt strange for CJ to have to be given a visitors pass to hang around her neck. As they passed by the communications bullpen she saw Toby and Ginger enter his office quickly and shut the door behind them. They were moving so fast that CJ hadn't gotten a good look at their faces. 

"Josh, I'm gonna..." 

"Yeah, okay, go ahead -- DONNA!" Josh yelled, already distracted by work again. 

CJ headed for Toby's office, but hung back when Bonnie yelled, "Hey, Ceej!" 

CJ stopped to greet her as the door to Toby's office opened and a smiling Ginger came out and headed for her desk. She waved and motioned to CJ to go ahead in Toby's office. 

CJ knocked on the door. "Hey." 

He glanced up and smiled. "Close the door, would ya?" 

She complied. "Good news?" 

"The thing's benign. They still have to take it out soon, but I've had it since I was born, god help me." 

CJ laughed and hugged him. "That's great! Well, it's not great that you've got the thing, but you know what I meant." 

"Yeah."

"So, when are you going to ask her?" 

"I'm taking Gin out for dinner tonight." 

"Good. Look, I can't stay, Rose is sick and I'm sure Leo's trying to sneak back here but call me tomorrow." 

"I will." 

She hugged him again and left the office, trying to sneak out without being spotted by anyone. Hadn't gotten very far when she heard Jed's voice calling her from down the hall. 

"Claudia Jean, what are you doing here?" 

She sighed and turned around, plastering a smile on her face. "Escaping from the house of horrors... Rose is sick now." She headed for him, and gave him a quick hug. "I hope I don't get it." 

"Me, too." 

Jed took CJ by the arm and led her towards the Oval Office. 

"How's Leo? I talked to him a little while ago. He said he was fine but he sounded like crap." 

"That pretty much sums it up. He'll probably be in for a little while later today." 

"Keep him home -- we're doing fine." Jed sighed. "He needs to rest." 

"Yeah, you know that, I know that, HE knows that, but whether or not he'll listen is another thing all together." She rubbed her eyes. "I feel like the whole world is crashing onto my shoulders right now, Jed, and I can't deal with it." 

Jed smiled. 

"What?" 

"I'm surprised, it's only taken you a week to stop calling me Mr. President," teased Jed. "How about I send Abbey over later today so she can check up on everyone?" 

"Sounds good." 

"How about I send her with some Fettuccini Alfredo from the Mess?" 

"Sounds even better" laughed CJ. 

"Good." Jed smiled. "Now, let's talk about how you stopped calling me Mr. President so quickly..." 

She shrugged. "You're not my boss anymore. You're just my husband's best friend, who HAPPENS to be the President." 

"Fair enough." he grinned. "Now, as President I have to get back to, ya know, running the country. Tell Leo not to set foot in here until he can make it through the day without puking or taking a nap." 

"Will do" 

CJ stood up and gave Jed a quick hug before leaving through Charlie's area. 

She arrived home 15 minutes later and was met by silence. She poked her head in the den; Leo was asleep on the couch with CNN on in the background. Michelle was in the kitchen finishing up the soup CJ had started. Pat was at school, Kate and Ari were resting and Rose was watching a movie in her room. 

CJ went into the bedroom and laid down on the bed, curling up to take a nap. She woke up to a couple of warm bodies climbing in with her. "Mmmm," she said, blinking. 

"She's hungry," Leo whispered in her ear, helping Ari get settled and ready to nurse. 

CJ sat up, rubbed her eyes and took Ari from Leo. He curled up on the bed next to them, propping his head up on his hand. 

"Where'd you go?" 

"Well, I started out by visiting Abe and then Josh came along and then I ended up at the White House. Toby got good news, it's not cancer. It'll still have to be taken out soon. He's going to propose tonight. Josh and Donna want us to be their witnesses this weekend. Apparently they've been using the McGarry method of birth control. Baby's due around Inauguration Day. The country's running fine without you. Jed doesn't want to see you until you can make it throw the day without puking and without taking a nap. Abbey's making a house call later. And I managed to take a two hour nap without being interrupted." 

Leo looked at her without saying a word. 

"What?" 

"Nothing, I just wasn't sure if you were done yet." he teased. 

"Yeah, I'm done." 

"Good." He kissed her shoulder. "I can't begin to understand what's going on in your head right now. But I love you for trying." 

"Love you too. Now, how are you feeling? And please, the truth." 

"A little better but not ready to go back to work." he admitted. 

She nodded. "You just rest some more, okay? And no more puking on my carpet." 

He chuckled. "Yeah." 

"Did you check on the others?" 

"Yeah -- Rose is asleep, finally, and Kate is playing with Pat's Pooh. He gave it to her." 

"Wow, wonder what brought that on?" mused CJ. 

"No idea." mumbled Leo as he pulled the quilt up and closed his eyes. 

CJ kissed him and took Ari downstairs. She put her in the bouncy seat and made some tea. Michelle had gone to do some shopping and to pick up Pat from school. 

CJ idly bounced Ari as she waited for the tea water to boil. "You're a troublemaker," she said mildly. "Just like your daddy." 

Rose came downstairs, dragging her blanket with her. "Momma?" she whimpered. 

"Yeah, sweetie?" 

"Don' feel good... can I sit with you?" 

"Sure, why don't you curl up on the couch, I'm gonna pour some tea. You want some?" 

"Yeah." mumbled Rose as she headed for the couch. 

CJ poured two cups of tea, took them out to the coffee table and then returned to the kitchen to grab the bouncy seat. She got everyone settled down just as Pat and Michelle came in the front door. 

"I'm hungry." declared Pat to no one in particular. 

"Then come in the kitchen and help me find a snack." said Michelle as she steered him out of the living room to give Rose and CJ some time alone. 

CJ hugged Rose gently around the shoulders as they sipped their tea. "You okay?" she asked. 

"Yeah," Rose breathed, sniffling a little. "Sorry..." 

"It's not your fault you got sick, little one." 

"Yeah, but I could have at least made it to the bathroom." sighed Rose. 

"Lemme tell you something, Daddy doesn't always make it to the bathroom either." said CJ with a grin. 

Rose laughed a little as the phone rang. It was Abbey. She was giving CJ a 30 minute heads up before the agents arrived to do their sweep. 

"Okay, kidlet," CJ said once she was off the phone. "You feeling good enough to go back upstairs? Aunt Abbey's going to come over, so you know what that means..." 

"Lotsa people," Rose moaned, getting up and heading for the stairs. 

CJ grinned as she watched her exhausted daughter climb the stairs in the same lumbering manner that Leo did. There were times that Rose was so much like Leo, it was quite scary. CJ turned her attention back to the house, quickly throwing things in closets, drawers and cabinets. By the time the agents arrived the house and the kids looked presentable. 

She smiled and showed them in. They did their sweep, then took up perimeter places on the property. 

A little while after that, the doorbell rang. CJ answered it. "I hope you brought food," she joked. 

"Fettuccini alfredo," Abbey supplied with a smile. "One of my detail will bring it in." 

"Great, I've been so busy I don't think I've eaten yet today." said CJ as Abbey looked at her with the patented *doctor* stare. "Yeah, I know, I'm a nursing mother I need to take better care of myself." 

"Exactly, now where can I find my patients?" 

"Rose just went up to her room a little while ago. She's probably awake. Leo was asleep the last time I checked. I'm kind of worried about him. What ever he's got seems to be hanging on." 

Abbey sighed. "Poor you. Sick Leo is a bad thing." 

"No kidding. You don't have to tell me that." CJ sighed and gestured to the stairs. "Now, where's my food?" 

An agent brought the food in a minute later as Abbey headed upstairs. Pat's food radar kick into gear and he appeared in the kitchen 30 seconds after the food. 

"Noodles." said Pat gleefully as he climbed up on a chair. 

CJ made him a plate and a plate for herself. They ate and talked until Abbey came back in the room. 

"So, what's the verdict?" asked CJ as she got up to refill her plate. 

"Rose'll be fine by this time tomorrow." 

"What about Leo?" 

"He's gonna be under the weather for a while." 

"Because he didn't stop and take care of himself?" 

"Yeah." 

CJ sighed and stabbed some noodles with her fork. "Kate needs lunch -- you wanna take some of this up and feed her for me?" 

"I'll do it." said Michelle as she entered the kitchen. 

"Thanks." said CJ as she motioned for Abbey to get a plate and join her. By that time, Pat was just about done and eager to go outside and play. 

"Stay in the backyard." yelled CJ as he disappeared down the hall. 

"Abbey, what am I going to do with Leo. He doesn't take care of himself, he gets annoyed when I fuss over him." 

"CJ, think about my husband for a second. Do you really think you should be asking me for advice. I can't convince Jed to take care of himself anymore than you can convince Leo." 

"True. So what do we do, just let whatever he has run its course?" 

"For another day or two. If he doesn't feel any better by then I'll do some blood work, run a few tests." 

CJ nodded and viciously stabbed a noodle. "If he kills himself before at least Rose is old enough to go out on her own, I don't know what I'll do, Abbey." 

"He's not going to kill himself," Abbey scolded. "You won't let him. And even more than that, he doesn't want to lose you or the kids." 

"The election is coming up, and I'm not going to see anything but his back in bed at night when he ventures to come home once in a while." "I know. He has to realize he's not 20 anymore..." 

"Or 30, or 40, or 50." said CJ, completing Abbey's thought with a grin. 

"Exactly, none of them are and they have to start realizing it." 

CJ nodded in agreement as she thought about Toby. 

"I heard about Toby, by the way." said Abbey. 

"Yeah, I thought you would -- eventually." CJ sighed and took a drink of water. "He's okay, though." 

"I heard that, too." 

"Yeah." 

"I also heard he's got a jones for Ginger." 

CJ chuckled, "And let me guess, Jed didn't have a clue and you had to fill him in?" 

"Yep. And Josh and Donna, guess you two gave the two of them birth control pointers?" smirked Abbey. 

"Shut up," CJ giggled, blushing. "Maybe Donna'll have some more sense than I did and get her tubes tied asap." 

"Not likely. She's running around the West Wing, talking about having six kids." 

CJ's eyes widened. "Oh man, ambitious, she is." 

"Yeah. Well, I think that if the first two or so come out arrogant, with bad hair she may rethink her plans. But then again, the kids could come out with blond hair, blue eyes and huge dimples. And who can resist having a few more of those?" Abbey said with a grin. 

CJ laughed. "Oh, man... I'm so glad I tied my tubes, finally. I don't need anymore little Leos running around, wreaking havoc." 

Abbey laughed. "Poor Donna doesn't know what she's getting herself into." 

"Yeah really. It happens with all the brainy people..." CJ sighed and pushed the last of her noodles around. "Know what I hate?" 

"What?" 

"That Leo and I didn't get together earlier. I mean, it wouldn't be so bad, except it's all at once, you know... it's just..." She sighed and set down her fork. 

"Just... nevermind." 

"Hey, I understand completely," Abbey said with a smile. "Okay, maybe not completely, but enough. What did the doctor say about Kate, to change the subject..." 

"He thinks she is showing marked improvement. He read over all of the notes and test results from the doctor in California and is pleased with what he sees. She seems to be more aware of things lately. We need to look into some sort of day program for her. Part therapy, part just getting her out of the house and with people other than her family. She needs it...we all do." sighed CJ. 

"CJ, you're right. She does need and so do the rest of you. There is nothing wrong with admitting that. You are no more Superwoman than Leo is Superman. Asking for help is not admitting defeat." 

CJ nodded slowly. "I guess you're right. Well, I think you are, anyway. But that doesn't mean much, does it?" 

"It means everything, CJ. You're her mother. You have to be the one to make these decisions. Not Leo. Leo's just there for the ride and to bring home food once in a while." 

CJ snorted. "Never is more like it." 

"Well, you know what I mean." 

"Yeah. I guess." 

"CJ, things are going to be rough around her for the next 6 months. You and Leo have got to make time for each other and he needs to make time for the kids." 

"I know that, you know that, someone just needs to convince my darling husband of that fact." sighed CJ. 

"I don't think he needs convincing...maybe just a little reminding once in a while." 

"Yeah. Remember the fiasco with the Breakfast?" 

"Hey, I was with you all the way on that one, babe." 

"I would have taken the kids and left, Abbey, I really would have."

"I know. And I wouldn't have blamed you. But things worked out, right?" 

"Yeah. I don't mean to give you the impression that things are bad between Leo and I, they aren't. It's just that now I decided to stay home I guess I see things clearer. It's been eye-opening, to say the least. I didn't realize how much the kids got pushed aside. And now I do." 

Abbey nodded. "They have to be your everything now, CJ. You made the choice to stay with them, and now you have to be there. Believe me, I know how it feels." 

CJ chuckled. "Yeah." 

"You want coffee?" asked Abbey as she cleared their plates away. 

"Abbey, you are not making coffee in my house." teased CJ. 

"CJ, please, just every once in a while I would like to do something myself." 

"Fine, everything's in the cabinet over the toaster." 

They heard Leo's heavy footsteps coming down the stairs just as the coffee was finished brewing." 

"Coffee radar." muttered CJ as an explanation for his sudden appearance. 

"I see why you said I shouldn't brew in your house." Abbey giggled, and Leo shot them both a dirty look. 

"Look, I feel better," he said, "can I go back to work now?" 

"Nope." 

"Abbey." he whined as he reached for a coffee mug. 

"And no coffee either. Get some juice. How about something to eat?" said Abbey in her best doctor voice. 

"Who invited her." muttered Leo with his head in the fridge. 

"She was sent by your best friend, remember, the President of the United States." teased CJ. 

"I don't think I remember him. I haven't seen him in soooo long." Leo shot back. 

"Smart ass," CJ said, sipping her water again. "I'm gonna go up and check on Rose." 

"Okay," Leo and Abbey said. 

Abbey turned to Leo and pointed towards the living room, "Sit." she ordered. 

Leo groaned as he sat down and prepared himself to be lectured, again. 

"Didn't we already cover everything when you came upstairs to annoy me?" 

"OK, back up. I am not here to annoy you. I came to make sure you weren't on the verge of needing a hospital bed." 

"Whatever." 

"Hey, knock it off, old man," she said, her voice lowering dangerously. "I just want you to know that if you do one thing to hurt CJ or the kids during the election, I will kill you myself." 

"I know. I'll behave." 

"Good." she said as she walked over to him and kissed the top of his head. "Now, you want something to eat?" 

"Any plain noodles left?" 

"Sure." 

She went out to the kitchen to get him some noodles. CJ came back downstairs and sat down beside Leo. "You know, I kind of like having you around," she teased. "Maybe I'll keep you." 

"You're stuck with me." said Leo as he leaned over to kiss her. 

Abbey came in the noodles and put them on the coffee table. She left them alone while she went up to see Pat and Kate. 

"You feeling any better?" CJ asked. 

"A little. How about you?" 

She shrugged. "Could be worse." 

"Yeah, I really hope you don't get whatever this is." 

"Me too." 

Ari began to fuss and CJ went to get her while Leo flicked on CNN and tried to eat a little. When CJ returned Leo hadn't eaten much and he was yelling at the image of Henry Shallick on the television. 

"CJ, I need to go into the office." he whined. 

"No. Call Josh and have him drop some stuff off, but you are not setting foot in the White House until you are completely better." 

"But CJ..." 

"No, Leo, Josh can handle it, okay? Shallick can go fuck himself. Or Ann Stark, for that matter. You need to get well." 

"Fine, fine. Where's the phone?" 

She found the phone under the newspapers and tossed it to him. Not really in the mood to hear him explain to Josh how mean she was being, CJ took Ari upstairs to see the others. 

Abbey and Pat were sitting on the bed with Kate, and Abbey was telling them both a very involved story about the time a Secret Service agent fell off the roof of the White House and got caught on one of the gutters. 

"Leo still pouting?" asked Abbey as she glanced up at CJ and Ari. 

"Yeah." 

CJ sat down in the rocker and nursed Ari while Abbey finished her story. Leo appeared in the doorway a while later. 

"Josh and Donna are going to stop by on their way home, probably around 9." 

"Sounds good, the kids should be asleep and maybe we can actually sit down and talk to them." 

"Talk is cheap," Abbey said with a mild laugh. "You giving them birth control pointers?" 

"Shut up," Leo growled. 

"Yes, dear," Abbey replied with a smirk. 

By 9:15, amazingly, all the kids were sleeping. CJ was loading the dishwasher and Leo was sitting at the breakfast bar pretending to eat. CJ sighed as she watched him out of the corner of her eye. The doorbell rang and Leo slid off the stool to answer it. Josh and Donna entered, bearing a box of files and a box of cookies from the Mess. 

Leo motioned for Josh to follow him into the den with the files. Donna took the cookies to the kitchen. 

"Hi, thanks for stopping by." said CJ as she gave Donna a quick hug. "They already disappeared into the den?" sighed CJ. 

"Yeah. So how is Leo? He looks pretty bad." 

"Recovering slowly. Abbey thinks he's pretty much over the virus but it's going to take a while for him to get his strength back cause once again he's run himself into the ground." 

"Sounds familiar." chuckled Donna. 

"You want some coffee?" 

"Uh, tea would be better. I found out the hard way that coffee doesn't really agree with me anymore." 

"Ah," grinned CJ. "Just the smell of cooking eggs was enough to send me into the bathroom when I was pregnant. So how are the plans for Saturday coming along?" 

"Good. Josh's worried that years from now I will regret not having a big wedding. And maybe I will, but right now, I don't want it. I just want to be happily married..." 

"And barefoot and pregnant?" teased CJ. 

"Yeah. So, anyway my parents aren't flying in. They are less than thrilled about the order in which we did things and frankly I'm relieved they won't be here. I don't want anything to ruin this for me, for us." 

"So just how small is this going to be?" 

"Well, the two of us, you and Leo, Sam and The President and Mrs. Bartlet. That's it." 

"Rose Garden?" 

"If the weather cooperates, otherwise Josh wants the Oval." said Donna with a roll of her eyes. 

"Well, let's hope for nice weather." 

Donna laughed and looked a little nervous. "You're not upset we're not inviting Toby, are you?" 

"No, I can totally understand why you wouldn't." 

"Yeah, but... you're his best friend." 

CJ shrugged. "Even friends make decisions without each other." She smiled. "But I expect Ginger's gonna be kicking him into shape soon enough, yeah?" 

"Yeah," Donna giggled, then looked VERY guilty. 

"Donna.... what's with the face?" 

"Um, well..." 

"FESS UP!" CJ ordered sternly. 

"OK, they are, at this moment, on their way to Maryland to elope." 

"What?" CJ screamed. 

Her screams brought Leo and Josh into the room. 

"Guess Donna told you about Toby and Ginger huh?" laughed Josh. 

"YES!" CJ's eyes opened wider and wider. "OH MY GOD!" 

"It also doesn't help that they did the whole baby thing first," Donna commented. 

"Oh Lord," CJ whispered. "Oh God, did she tell him yet?" 

"No... she was going to wait," Donna said, a little confused. "Won't he be happy?" 

"Uh, for some reason, I don't think so." 

"Really?" asked Donna turning a little pale. 

"I don't know. Toby's been going through some stuff lately and I'm just not sure how's he's going to handle this." explained CJ as vaguely as possible. 

"That and he doesn't like kids," Josh pointed out. "You ever see him around the kids that come into the office for official stuff? You ever watch him with CJ's kids?" 

"Oh hell..." Donna whispered. 

"Donna, don't worry about it. There's nothing you can do." said Leo. "Did I see you bring cookies in?" 

The four of them settled down at the table with tea and cookies. Pat padded down the stairs around 11. 

"Can't sleep, too much laughing." he mumbled as he looked around for the most inviting lap. He crawled up onto Josh's lap and snuggled against his chest. Josh brushed back his sandy hair and kissed the top of his head. 

Donna just looked at them and sighed. 

"Oh leave me alone." said Josh with a grin. 

Pat tried to put his little arms around Josh's waist, and CJ laughed a little. "I need a camera," she said with a grin, heading into the den. 

She found the camera and snapped a few pictures just before Pat fell back to sleep. 

"You want me to take him back to bed?" asked Leo. 

"Nah, he's fine right here." said Josh. 

An hour later found Donna and Leo going over some of the files in the den. Josh and Pat asleep on the couch and CJ feeling completely out of the loop. But in a surprising way, it felt good. 

She went into the den and kissed Leo on the cheek. "I'm gonna go upstairs and get some sleep. Ari's got those damn tests tomorrow..." 

"Yeah," Leo agreed softly. Donna averted her eyes as they kissed, and CJ pulled away. "Wait, honey -- " Leo said, "do you want me to try to come with you, since I'm not up to going to work?" 

CJ shrugged. "If you're feeling up to it, maybe." 

"OK, good night." 

"Night, Donna. Josh is out cold on the couch and I'm taking Pat back to his bed." 

"OK, goodnight CJ. I'll call you tomorrow." 

CJ nodded. "Call me on the cell -- and you'd better tell me when Ginger tells Toby." 

"You'll probably find out first," Donna commented dryly. 

"Uh, okay..." 

Just then, the phone rang. CJ flinched and picked it up. "Hello? Toby, what... Toby, calm down. Yes, Josh and Donna told me you and Ginger went to... STOP SHOUTING! No, I didn't know she's... TOBY! Do I look like I'm privy to that kind of information right now.... Okay, dammit, you wanna do this? You really want to go? Because this time, the gloves are coming off -- you aren't my boss anymore, so get over it, you arrogant son of a bitch!" She slammed the phone down and stood there, shaking. 

Donna snuck out of the room and ran into a sleepy and very confused Josh in the hallway. They quickly got their things together and left to go home. 

CJ was still standing in the middle of the den, staring at the phone, five minutes later. Leo finally led her to a chair. 

"So what do you want to do?" 

"I don't know. God, I'm not even sure what just happened." 

"Did they even get married?" 

"Huh?" mumbled CJ distractedly, "I'm not even sure." 

"You gonna call him back, you wanna go over there?" 

"I don't know. Give me a minute to think." 

Ten minutes later, while she was still thinking the doorbell rang. 

"I'll answer it and send him in. Then I'm going to bed. Good luck." said Leo as he kissed her cheek. 

"Oh, yeah, thanks," she muttered. 

"She's in the den," she heard Leo say. 

"Yeah." A moment later, Toby was in the doorway. "You wanna tell me what that little outburst was about?" he asked gruffly. 

"What it's about is that you've always taken me for granted; you've always taken what I know and don't know for granted. Never at face value. Dammit, Toby..." She didn't even turn around, just kept staring down at the desk. 

"It's not just me." 

"You think I don't know that?" She sighed and leaned forward. "Did you two even get married?" 

"Yes, we did. And then, on the way home..." 

"She told you about the baby." 

"Yeah." 

"Does it honestly change anything?" 

"I don't know." 

"What do you mean you don't know? Toby, did the two of you ever talk about kids?" 

"Yeah, in a generic sense I guess." 

"A generic sense? What the hell does that mean?" she asked turning to face him. 

"It means she knows that I'm not crazy about them but we never really decided one way or another about having some of our own." 

"And now you are. God, have the two of you, not to mention Josh and Donna learned nothing from Leo and I?" 

Toby couldn't help but smile just a little. 

"I mean, for God's sake..." 

"CJ, relax, would ya?" 

"I just can't see you making any kind of a decent, responsible father..." 

"And you could see that in Leo?" 

She paused. "Uh.... well... dear god. No. No, I could never see that in Leo." She pressed a hand to her forehead. "Oh my god." 

"Exactly. Leo surprised you, why can't I?" asked Toby as he moved from the doorway and went to sit on the edge of the desk next to CJ. 

CJ held up her hands in exasperation. "I don't know. I hope to God that you do surprise me." 

"I hope I surprise myself. Now, if you will excuse me, it is my wedding night and I left my beautiful wife at home wearing..." 

CJ clamped her hands over her ears. "I don't want to hear what Ginger was wearing. Get out of here." 

"Hey, you ought to go put on a special thing for Leo..." 

"He's still sick." 

"Yeah, well, you've already been exposed." 

"Shut up. I feel sick already, actually. I've been battling it all day now." She sighed. "Go home to your wife, Mr. Ziegler." 

"I will. And thanks, ya know, for putting me in my place." 

"No problem. Call me tomorrow." 

CJ walked him to the front door and then dragged herself up the stairs. She took a couple of Advil and fell asleep within minutes. 

She woke up the next morning just before the alarm expecting to feel totally crappy but she was pleasantly surprised that she only had a slight headache. She reached over and turned off the alarm before it could wake Leo. 

She got up and put on her bathrobe, then shook Leo. "Hey, sleepy head, how do you feel?" 

He grunted and buried his head under the pillows. 

"That good, eh?" 

Leo just groaned a little and pulled the quilt over his head. "Guess I'm on my own at the doctor's" muttered CJ. 

She went to check on the health of the rest of the family. Just as Abbey had predicted Rose was feeling better and was already in the kitchen eating some toast. Pat was watching cartoons, Ari was starting to scream in her room and Kate was still asleep. 

CJ got Ari settled to nursing as she rounded the others up and set them down for cold cereal and toast for breakfast. "Okay, guys... you're gonna have to behave for Michelle today, because Ari and I are going to be gone, and Daddy still feels bad." 

"OK" said Pat and Rose in unison, which shocked CJ. 

"Rose do you feel well enough to go back to school or do you want to stay home another day?" 

Rose thought about it for a minute and then decided to go back to school. That left Michelle with only Pat and Kate, but Pat had school that afternoon. 

"OK Michelle, I'll drop Rose at school on my way out. You just need to take Pat this afternoon. Just wake Leo up when you go, he can watch Kate while you drop Pat off." 

"Okay, CJ -- relax a little. I packed the diaper bag for you last night," Michelle said. "Why don't I make you some breakfast?" 

"No, I don't need it," CJ said. "Some coffee will be fine." 

"You need to eat..." 

"Michelle, I think I might be coming down with this bug, okay? I don't want to put much on my stomach for a while." 

"OK, how about some tea." 

"Yeah that sounds good. I'm going to hop in the shower. I'll be down in 15 minutes." 

"Take your time, I'll get the kids dressed." 

CJ showered and dressed in record time. She checked on Leo before going downstairs. He was still warm and looked downright awful. She left him some water and Advil on the bedside table. 

She scooped up Ari and went out to the car to put her in the carseat. 

Michelle ran out the door. "CJ!" 

"What?" 

"Kate's calling for you... and Leo." 

CJ sighed. "I can't stop, Shelly, I've got to get going -- we have to be there at 8... but you can try to wake Leo up." 

"OK, I'll try. Good luck." 

"Thanks," yelled CJ as she shut Rose's door and climbed in the car herself. 

Six hours and many tests later CJ returned home with a sleeping Ari. She had done great during the tests which was a surprise to CJ. Michelle met them at the door and took Ari from CJ. 

"How are you feeling?" Michelle asked as CJ kicked off her shoes. 

"Tired but that's all. How's Leo?" 

"Cranky. He slept a lot and didn't eat much." 

"Damn. What about Kate?" 

"She's been agitated all day and very vocal. I think she's resting now." 

"Can you take Ari and put her in her playpen for a while? I'll go up to see Kate..." 

"Okay," Michelle agreed, taking Ari into the other room. 

CJ wearily climbed the stairs. Kate wasn't resting at all. She was lying on the bed, absolutely silent. 

"Hi, honey..." CJ said softly. 

Kate didn't respond. Didn't even react. 


	8. McGarry House of Hell 8

**McGarry House of Hell**

**by: Ginny and Becky**

**Pairing(s):** CJ/Leo  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Disclaimer:** The usual, not mine etc.  
**Summary:** Further adventures of the McGarry clan. Sequel to "You Could Drive A Person Crazy"  
**Feedback:** Feedback is appreciated.  


* * *

Part 8 

CJ sighed and sat on the bed. She reached out to brush back Kate's hair. 

"Katie, I'm sorry things have been nuts around here the last few days. Daddy's been sick..." 

Kate grunted slightly at the mention of her Daddy. CJ smiled. 

"Daddy's been sick and things have just been wild. You know you're important to me, but everything else is, too, baby..." She kissed Kate's forehead. "To make it up to you, I'm going to sit here with you a while, and we're going to talk, woman to woman, okay? So... say what you want to say." 

"MAMA!" 

CJ laughed aloud and hugged Kate. "OK, that got my attention." she teased. "You must have been practicing that all day." 

Kate grinned and waved her arm in the direction of the bookcase. 

"You want a story?" 

Kate gurgled and smiled. 

"OK then." said CJ as she reached over to grab a book. 

She read the "Toy Soldier" while Kate looked at the pictures and tried to repeat everything CJ said. 

As CJ finished the book Leo appeared in the doorway, not looking like death warmed over for the first time in days. 

"Hey, you're looking almost human." teased CJ. 

"I feel that way. Was that Miss Katherine making all of that noise?" 

"Sure was." 

CJ got up so Leo could sit next to Kate. 

"You hungry at all?" 

Leo thought about it for a minute. "Yeah, I think I am." 

"Good, maybe things are improving finally." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

By Saturday afternoon Leo was almost back to normal. CJ and the rest of the kids never did get sick. 

They gathered together in the Rose Garden to celebrate the wedding of Josh and Donna. Standing in for Donna's absent father, Leo walked her down the aisle to a nervous, but smiling Josh. 

The short ceremony was performed by Justice Mendoza. In the end Josh and Donna had invited Toby and Ginger, along with Ainsley, Charlie Bonnie and Margaret. 

They had a small reception outside in the Rose Garden and then went to Camp David for the night. Unfortunately, 6 months from Election Day was not the time for a lengthy honeymoon. 

CJ, Leo and the kids all went home to a quiet house. Michelle was gone on a date -- and CJ was already worried about losing her best baby-sitter. 

Between the two of them, they managed to get the kids bathed and in bed, and CJ wound up for the next of Ari's tests. 

She snuggled with Leo once they were both in bed, and for the first time in a long time, neither felt like ruining the moment with sex. 

So they went to sleep in each others' arms, and awoke the next morning to Kate yelling, "MAMA! DA!" 

"Your daughter is calling you," groaned CJ into the pillow. 

"Oh sure, at 6 in the morning she's my daughter," teased Leo. 

"Damn straight" 

Leo dragged himself out of bed and headed for Kate's room. He put her in her chair and took her into the kitchen. 

"OK, Kate, it's just you and me for a while. Mommy and your brother and sisters are still sleeping. How about some breakfast?" 

Kate gurgled happily. 

"OK, good, but first Daddy needs some coffee." 

Leo started the coffee maker, grabbed the Sunday paper off the front steps and made oatmeal for himself and Kate. They were just about done when Pat came down the stairs looking for something to eat. 

"Morning Pat, you want some oatmeal?" asked Leo as he ruffled Pat's hair. 

"Yeah, but no jelly, that's gross." 

"Well, I agree with you there. It must be a girl thing." 

"Where's Mommy?" 

"Sleeping." 

"Can we go visit Aunt Donna and Uncle Josh today?" 

"Uh, no. They just got married yesterday. Let's give them some time to themselves. I'll take you to work with me later this week." 

"OK" 

Ari's screams floating down the stairs. 

"I'm just going to run up and take Ari in to Mommy, I'll be right back." 

When CJ and Ari came downstairs a little after 8 Leo and the rest of the kids were out in the backyard. Rose and Pat were on the swingset, while Kate was watching. Leo was in the lounge chair, reading the paper and drinking his third cup of coffee. 

"Hey," CJ said with a smile, sitting down with him. 

"Hi..." 

"Everything under control?" 

"Piece of cake," Leo replied with a cocky grin. 

CJ took a sip of his coffee. "You going back to work tomorrow?" 

"Am I allowed?" he smirked. 

"Yeah, if you promise to keep it to 10 hours and rest on the couch if you need to. I'll be calling Margaret to check up on you." 

"Oh, I'm sure you will." 

"Is that supposed to mean..." 

"Hey, I do appreciate it, babe," Leo said leaning over and kissing her on the cheek. 

"Okay, 'cuz you were making me wonder..." 

"But you can stop fussing soon." 

"Never." 

"That's what I was afraid of." muttered Leo as she reached for the coffee. 

They sat and had some more coffee while the kids played in the yard. Rose blew some bubbles for Pat and Kate while Ari was content to sit in the baby swing. 

"What time are you meeting with Ari's doctor tomorrow?" 

"I have to be there at 1:00. Any way you'll be able to make it?" 

"I'm pretty sure I can sneak away for an hour." 

"Good, I can't do this alone." 

"I don't expect you to, honey," Leo said, hugging her. 

"Good. But you're a major part of the election, and I know that I can't have you all the time." She smiled a little and kissed the tip of his nose. 

"It's gonna be a rough few months, isn't it?" he mused. 

"Yeah, it is. But we can do it, we've done it before." 

"Yeah, but we were younger then..." 

"And we had fewer kids." teased CJ. 

"Hey, not entirely my fault there," Leo ribbed, poking her. 

"What, you don't like the kids now, is that it?" 

"Not what I was saying..." 

"I know." She grinned. "Seriously, we'll be fine, Leo. We usually are." 

The rest of the day was spent lounging around, watching Disney videos and generally doing nothing that involved much brain power. It was a welcome change. 

The kids were in bed by 9 and CJ went upstairs to call her parents while Leo restlessly wandered around downstairs. 

When CJ was off the phone, she went downstairs and found her husband in the kitchen with a box of granola. He was eating a handful straight out of the box when she came in, and she couldn't help but laugh. 

"Yes, you're feeling better," she teased, sidling closer and kissing him. "Feeling good enough for a roll in the sheets?" 

He tossed the box on the counter and brushed his hands off over the sink. 

"I'll take that as a yes?" teased CJ. 

"Yeah." 

They walked upstairs hand in hand. By the time they actually got the bedroom door closed they were well on their way to being completely undressed. CJ fell back onto the bed and pulled Leo down with her. He looked at her and shook his head. 

"What?" 

"I want the bottom." 

"Oh sure, make me do all the work." she teased as she flipped them over. 

"Well, you're not the one that was sick," he said defensively. 

She snorted. "Okay, yeah, I need the exercise anyway... I'm getting all fat and maternal-looking. And we can't have that." 

Leo wisely decided not to comment on that statement. 

An hour later CJ was sound asleep and Leo was still restless. He remembered back to when making love with CJ was all he needed to relax. Now things were just so busy, so complicated, his brain just didn't turn off very easily. 

He threw on his robe and went back downstairs to get a drink of milk. 

When he finally came back to bed, he woke CJ up. "Hey, what's..." she said, blinking blearily. "Oh man, my head is killing me..." 

"You okay?" he asked worriedly. 

"Yeah, just started hurting like a son of a bitch all of a sudden." 

"I'll get some Advil." said Leo as he brushed back her hair. 

She took the pills and settled back down on the pillows. Leo hovered over her for a few minutes. 

"Honey, go to sleep." she said wearily. 

"What's the matter, don't like to be fussed over?" he teased gently. 

"Did I say that?" She grinned up at him. "I just would like to be able to sleep without thinking about you looming in my face, okay?" 

"Smart ass." 

"Hey, that's not the only part of me that's smart and you know it, Mr. McGarry."

"Do I ever." he muttered as he climbed in bed. 

Leo didn't sleep much that night. He was restless, thinking about work, worrying about the kids, worrying about CJ. Half an hour before the alarm went off he got up and took a long shower, hoping the hot water would clear his head. 

It didn't. But he had to smile when Pat wandered in and climbed into the shower with him. 

"Hi daddy... can I come with you to work?" 

Leo laughed and picked him up. "You, young man, need a bath before you can go anywhere." 

"I want a shower." 

"Fine, I'm done, is it ok if I get out?" 

Pat nodded and kissed Leo's cheek before Leo carefully set him down. Leo grabbed a towel off the back of the door, wrapped it around his waist and wiped the mirror off with his hand. 

"God, am I old." he muttered as he reached for the shaving cream. 

"Nah, not too old. Just a little forgetful. You left the shower running." teased CJ. 

"Cute, Pat's in there." 

"Ah." said CJ as she closed the toilet lid and sat down. 

"How's your head?" 

"Fine, actually." 

"you sure?" 

"Yeah, it's fine. Still taking Pat tot he office?" She snorted and giggled as Pat began wailing some Barney song off-key. "Okay, he's definitely yours..." 

"Hey," cried Leo as he ran the razor under the faucet. "I'll take Pat in the morning. I can drop him at school on my way to meet you at the doctor's office." 

"Sounds good in theory, but we'll see how things work out. If you can't get away, Michelle can pick him up and take him to school." 

"Turn off the water," yelled Pat from the shower. 

CJ leaned over, turned the water off and held out a towel for Pat. 

"Thanks, Mommy..." Pat said, getting out of the shower and standing by Leo. "Can I shave, too, daddy?" 

CJ laughed. "I'll go get the cream cheese knife and yes, you can shave, Pat," she said with a smile, leaving the bathroom. 

By the time Pat and Leo were done shaving and were dressed CJ was almost done making pancakes for breakfast. Ari had been nursed and was in the bouncy seat, Rose was setting the table and Kate was still sleeping. 

"Wow pancakes, what's the occasion?" asked Leo as he came into the kitchen. 

"No occasion, I just thought we could have a normal breakfast, even though it's definitely not a normal hour of the morning," CJ sighed, glancing at the clock. "Coffee's in the pot, honey..." 

"Yeah, I guess 6:OO in the morning is not the normal time for a family breakfast." mused Leo as he poured a cup of coffee. 

"Not even close." 

"Daddy, can I have coffee?" asked Pat. 

Leo burst out laughing. "No Pat, you most certainly do not need coffee. How about orange juice." 

"It doesn't have any stuff in it does it?" 

"Uh," muttered Leo as he read the carton, "Nope, no pulp." 

"Good." 

Rose made a face. "Pulp's good for you, Pat..." 

"Chokes me," Pat said around the edge of his glass. 

"Okay, guys, eat your pancakes, would ya?" CJ said, setting down the platter. She went back into the kitchen to get herself a cup of coffee and the relative quiet was shattered by Kate yelling, "FOO!" 

"Hey, Leo, your..." 

"I know, my daughter is calling." he said as he got up to get Kate. 

For the first time in what seemed like forever the 6 McGarry's had a peaceful meal. Well, as peaceful as a meal can be with 4 kids, 10 and under. 

CJ helped Leo get Pat ready to go to work with him, and kissed her son goodbye. "Hey, you -- no sugar for the Patmeister today, okay?" she said, kissing Leo. "Now, go on with ya!" 

Pat and Leo walked into the West Wing hand in hand. Margaret was already at her desk. 

"Good, you brought reinforcements to help you clear the pile of stuff off your desk." teased Margaret as they stopped in front of her desk. 

"Very funny." 

"You want to color?" asked Margaret as she ruffled Pat's hair. 

"No, I want to see Uncle Josh." 

"I think he's in Sam's office, why don't you go see." 

Pat took off down the hall as Leo walked into his office. "Good God, you weren't kidding about the pile of stuff in her." he groaned as he sat down at his desk. 

"You should know I very rarely kid about your work," Margaret said with a chuckle. "It's good you brought Pat in, because Ginger has her nephew today to take care of because her sister's in the hospital. Pat can play with him." 

"That should work out, he's only going to be here until noon. I have to drop him at school and then meet CJ and Ari at the doctor's." 

"Well, in that case, you'd better get working." teased Margaret as she went to leave. "You want some coffee?" 

"Please." 

"Cream and sugar?" 

"Margaret, do I like cream and sugar in my coffee?" 

"Okay, okay, black... I can't believe CJ still lets you get away with murder," Margaret muttered.

"Yeah, whatever." mumbled Leo as he picked up the phone.

Ten minutes later, Margaret appeared with a large mug of black coffee.

"Here, and you have staff in five minutes."

"Thanks."

After staff, he found himself watching Simon's mistakes in the briefing room, and found himself wondering if he'd done the right thing, letting CJ leave. 

Pat wandered into the room and climbed up his lap. 

"Hey, you done playing with whatshisname?" 

"Nathan. Yeah, he's doing a puzzle and I didn't want to, so I came back in here." 

"OK, well, I have some phone calls to make, you wanna watch TV?" 

Pat nodded. "Sesame Street, daddy." 

Leo chuckled and flipped one of the stations to PBS. Soon, Pat was dancing and singing along with Big Bird, Elmo, and company, content as can be. 

Leo made some phone calls and went back to trying to find the top of his desk while Pat was occupied. He managed to clear off a small section by the time Sesame Street was over. 

He looked up to find Josh hanging in the doorway. "Hey, you want to go get a snack from the Mess?" 

"UH, I'm a little busy here." muttered Leo, not really bothering to look up. 

"Good, I wasn't really talking to you." said Josh as he knelt down to talk to Pat. 

"You wanna take a walk?" 

"Sure. Bye Dad." yelled Pat over his shoulder as he took Josh's hand. 

Leo nodded distractedly, and went back to work. He didn't even notice CJ and Ari standing in the doorway until CJ made a little noise that made him jump. 

"Oh, hey..." 

"I came to make sure you got something to eat in case you couldn't make it." 

"What time is it?" 

"Almost 12." 

"Margaret." he bellowed. 

"You called?" she asked with just the right amount of sarcasm. 

"Yeah, will the office fall apart if I leave for an hour?" 

"Leo, you were out for 3 days, I think we can manage an hour without you." 

"Ha, ha." 

Margaret shot him one last exasperated look and returned to her desk. 

"Where's Pat?" 

"He's with Josh, you wanna go get him while I finish reading this one brief. 

"Sure, here, you hold her." said CJ as she handed Ari to him. 

Leo shot his daughter a wary look, but when she didn't start screaming, he decided it was fine. 

Jed came in a few minutes later. "Hey, family man -- how're you feeling?" 

"Shut the hell up," Leo growled around the pen in his mouth. 

"Nice mouth, Leo." teased Jed as he held out his hands to take Arianna. "Seriously, you are you feeling?" 

Leo leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on the desk. "I feel better. Not exactly ready to put in 16 hour days, though." 

Jed nodded as CJ and Pat came into the room. "You ready, honey?" CJ asked. "Oh, hello, Jed," she said with a smile. 

"Hey, CJ -- how're you doing?" 

"Just fine, I think. You?" 

"Our numbers are up." 

"Oh thank God, I thought they'd never rebound!" 

"Have faith Claudia Jean." said Jed as he kissed Ari on the forehead and handed her back to her mother. 

"Leo, we need to get going." she said, motioning to her watch. 

"OK." 

"Go, I'll talk to you when you get back." said Jed, waving them out the door. 

CJ smiled and waved. They went to the car, dropped Pat off at school, then headed to the testing center. 

CJ let them take Ari for the tests, and she and Leo sat in the waiting room, holding hands and talking quietly. After a while Leo got up to pace while CJ distractedly flipped through a magazine. After nearly two hours the nurse brought Ari back to them. 

"The doctor will see you in his office." she said, leading the way. 

"Okay," CJ said, putting her hand on Leo's arm to calm him. They followed the nurse back to the office, and waited patiently. 

Then Dr. O'Brien came in a few minutes later. "Hey, guys -- what we're seeing is a minor case of autism, but more severe than Asperger's." 

Leo grabbed CJ's hand and held it tight. 

"OK," said Leo slowly. "And what exactly does that mean in someone Ari's age?" 

"It makes it difficult for her brain to process sensory stimulus. It can be difficult for an autistic child to be hugged or even touched. And they have problems understanding exactly what you mean when you say something. It can take a while for it to click." CJ and Leo were silent for a moment. 

"So, is there anything we can do?" asked CJ, hopefully. 

Dr. O'Brien smiled. "That's the good part. You can do what you've been doing. Let her throw her tantrums, let her cry. It's what she needs to express she's having difficulties processing stimuli." 

"So basically we buy some good earplugs and get on with our lives?" asked Leo 

"Pretty much. I'll put you in touch with some support groups, if you would like. I can suggest some books and some websites that may answer more of your questions. Don't hesitate to call me if you need anything." 

CJ nodded. "OKay." She smiled at Leo. "Okay." 

As they were leaving the office, Leo called over his shoulder, "Tell Jenny I said hello." 

CJ stopped dead in her tracks and gave Leo the death stare. 

"Oh, please, I was just being nice." muttered Leo as he headed for the door. 

CJ rolled her eyes, more annoyed at herself for letting the comment get to her than she actually was at Leo for making it in the first place. 

CJ dropped Leo off at work. "You going to be home for dinner?" 

"Probably not," he said glancing at his watch. 

"OK, call me later. I have to get going if I'm going to pick up the kids on time." 

"CJ, please, I didn't mean anything by it..." 

"Leo, I know, don't worry about it." 

He kissed her cheek and got out of the car. By the time he got to his office there was practically a line of people following behind him, demanding his attention. 

"Margaret, I need five minutes to catch my breath. And I need a bottle of water." he muttered as he passed by her desk. 

"Okay. Guys, back off," Margaret yelled. "Take a chill pill for FIVE MINUTES." 

Jed snickered in the doorway to the Oval Office. 

"Shut up," Leo growled. 

Jed took one look at Leo and did just that. He decided against asking Leo if he was ok. He knew that would just result in a lot of yelling and frankly, there had been enough yelling in the West Wing already that day. 

Margaret came back in a minute later with a bottle of water, 2 Advil and a bagel. "Here, even with CJ reminding you, you still didn't eat lunch." 

"And how do you know that I didn't eat while I was out." 

Margaret gave him the old, DO I LOOK LIKE I JUST FELL OFF THE TURNIP TRUCK, look. 

"Thank you," he said gruffly as he took the Advil. "Send in the first victim." 

"Josh, go on in," she said. 

"Hoynes fucked up 378." 

"He did that before I left, Josh. NEXT!" 

Josh just looked at Leo for a minute and then made a hasty retreat out the door. Sam and Toby entered quietly and stood before the desk. 

"What?" grumbled Leo. 

"Uh, we've working on the speech for..." Toby started to say but was cut off by Leo. "If the two of you are here to tell me you can't agree on something just get out now." 

Toby and Sam looked at each other, then looked back at Leo. They each took a deep breath, turned and left the room. 

"Next." 

Abbey entered the room and stood in front of the desk. Leo never even looked up. "And what the hell do you want?" he asked. 

"Nice manners, Leo." 

"Oh God, Abbey, I'm sorry. I didn't know it was you." 

"I hope not." she teased. 

"I wanted to ask about the appointment." 

"Not talking about personal matters right now. NEXT!" 

Jed poked his head into the room. "Leo, there's a thing." 

Leo sighed in relief. "Oh, thank you, GOD." 

Jed looked at him as if he had three heads. It wasn't normally cause for celebration when they were summoned to the Situation Room. 

When they finally came back out, hours later, Jed asked, "Is everything okay, old friend?" 

"CJ's annoyed with me. And Ari's gonna be okay, we just need to buy new earplugs. And Kate's talking. And I'm here." 

"Yeah, sometimes this whole running the country stuff just sucks." laughed Jed. 

"Exactly." 

"You heading home?" 

"No, I have some reading I have to get done. I have a better chance of actually finishing it here, rather than at home." 

"OK, don't stay too late." 

"Yes, mom." smirked Leo. 

Margaret was typing away on the computer when Leo passed through. She handed him his messages and asked him what he wanted for dinner. He was about to say he wasn't hungry but figured it was easier to just pick something. 

"Grilled cheese and some soup. No tomato, please." 

"Okay," Margaret said. "CJ called. She wants to know if you're okay with her parents coming for a visit." 

Leo groaned. "Do I have a choice?" he asked. 

Margaret smiled. "She says they're coming tomorrow." 

"Apparently not." 

He settled down on the couch with a stack of files and the phone. He called CJ but she was out shopping with Rose and Pat. Margaret brought in his food and put it on the end table. 

"Eat, don't just pick at it." said Margaret. 

"I will." he muttered without looking up. 

Half an hour later, she was back. "You want me to feed you, Leo?" 

He gave her the evil eye. 

"I'm serious -- CJ called and told me to make sure you eat." 

"CJ's a mother hen." 

"Well, yeah -- she's all domestic goddess now." 

"I wouldn't say that too loud around her." 

"Fine, I won't. You want me to heat the soup up?" 

"Yeah, thanks." 

He turned his attention to the grilled cheese, which was pretty cold but he suddenly realized that he really was hungry for the first time in about a week. He ate it and the warmed up soup while he read. 

By the time Margaret came back in at a little after 8 he was asleep on the couch. She shook her head and covered him up, planning on letting him sleep for a few hours, then waking him and sending him home. 

Leo woke with a start as she covered him up. "CJ..." 

"No such luck," Margaret said with a smile. "It's me." 

"What're you doing here?" 

"It's your office." 

He looked around. "Oh yeah. I'm gonna get someone to drive me home -- what time is it?" 

"A little after 8. Come on, I'll drive." 

Margaret held out his suit jacket for him and led him out the door. He fell asleep in the car, 3 blocks from home. 

"Leo, wake up." she said, nudging his shoulder. 

"Mmph," he muttered. 

"Upsie-daisy, Leo," she said, poking him. 

"Go to hell, Margaret." 

"Too late, we're already here. Look, McGarry House of Hell." she teased as she opened the car door and pulled him to his feet. 

She all but dragged him up the stairs while she had the fleeing thought of just propping him up against the railing, ringing the bell and walking away. But as annoying as he was, she had a soft spot for him, so she rang the bell and waited for CJ to pull him inside. 

"Hey, Margaret. Couldn't find anywhere to dump the body?" she teased. 

"Hey, would the two of you just leave me the hell alone." muttered Leo as he stumbled in the door. 

"Oh boy, tired, cranky and still slightly sick, what a great combination." mused CJ as she pushed him in the general direction of the couch. "You want some tea?" she asked Margaret. 

"Sure, I'd love some." 

"I want some too," Leo said. 

"Nope, this is girl time. Go upstairs and get in the tub. Have a nice relaxing soak, and I'll join you in a little while. I'll wear you out, dear heart, and you'll sleep very well tonight." 

Margaret looked like she wanted to gag. 

CJ laughed, "Please, he'll be asleep before I even get up there." 

Rose wandered into the kitchen looking for a snack before bed. 

"Hi, Aunt Margaret." she said as she took the box of graham crackers out of the cabinet. 

"Hey kiddo -- how're you?" 

"Fine... guess what." 

"What?" 

"Kate talked today." 

CJ grinned over at Margaret. "Yeah, she did." 

"That's great. What did she say?" 

"She yelled Mama, Da and food." 

"Pretty useful words to know." grinned Margaret. 

Rose settled down at the table with her crackers and milk. She chatted with CJ and Margaret until 9:00. 

"Okay, munchkin, Auntie Mags need to go home and get some sleep because daddy's gonna run her into the ground tomorrow. If I let daddy get out of bed." 

Margaret flinched. "BAD MENTAL PICTURE, CJ!" 

"Sorry" laughed CJ. 

Rose hugged Margaret goodbye and then headed off to bed. CJ walked Margaret out to her car. "Thanks for bringing him home." 

"No problem. You sure he's ok?" 

"Not entirely." 

"OK, let me know if you need anything. I'll pick him up in the morning. Have him call me when he's ready. That's if you let him out of bed." teased Margaret. 

"I'm telling ya, he's sound asleep." grinned CJ. 

And she was right. He was sound asleep, sprawled out on top of the quilt. CJ laughed to herself and managed to pull the quilt out from under him and cover him up without waking him. She checked on the kids one last time, changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed next to him. Happy to be in bed at 9:30. 

She woke up alone in the bed a few hours later. She squinted at the clock, 2:43. The light was off in the bathroom so she threw on her robe and went to find Leo. He was in the kitchen, sitting at the breakfast bar staring out the window. She sighed and wrapped her arms around him from behind. Kissing the top of his head she whispered, "You ok?" 

He nodded. "Yeah. Just tired." 

"So go back to bed." 

"Can't sleep." 

She sighed and tightened the hug. "Okay. Margaret was giving me nine levels of hell about my saying I might not let you out of bed in the morning..." 

"Filled her up with all kinds of mental images, huh?" he chuckled. 

"Yeah. So come to bed." 

"CJ, I'm too tired to..." 

"Sleep Leo, let's go to bed to sleep." 

"Kay." he muttered as he slid off the stool. 

She smiled patiently and put her arm around his waist as they walked back up the stairs. Dealing with Leo was like dealing with a large child, she'd discovered after turning domestic. She pushed him towards the bed and went into the bathroom. It took her a few minutes of hunting around the medicine cabinet to find what she was looking for. She came back into the bedroom and handed him 2 Tylenol PM tablets and a glass of water. 

"Give these a shot." she sighed as she climbed into bed. 

Half an hour later Leo was still tossing and turning. "They didn't work.," he complained as he stared up at the ceiling. 

"Leo give it a little longer. Roll over, I'll rub your back for you." 

He grumbled. "Stop fussing!" he snapped the instant she started rubbing his back. 

She pulled her hand back and rolled over, curling up into a ball under the covers. 

"CJ..." he said a few minutes later, when she hadn't moved. 

"What?" she said, her voice a flat monotone. 

"Oh hell, what did I do now?!" he growled, rolling over. 

"Well, for one thing, you woke me up at 2 something in the morning, complaining because you can't sleep, so you make it so I can't sleep..." She didn't roll over, didn't move. 

He heard her breathing even out and he knew she had fallen back to sleep. A little while later the pills kicked in and Leo finally fell asleep. 

CJ was already up by the time he dragged himself out of bed at 6:30. 

"You have staff in an hour." she yelled up the stairs when she heard him moving around. 

"I know." he grumbled as he walked to the bathroom and turned on the shower. 

When he got out, she was sitting on the closed toilet seat, a breakfast tray on her lap. "I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier," she said. "I'm just tired." 

He picked up apiece of toast and nodded. 

"Don't you have anything to say to me?" she prompted. 

"Yeah -- thanks for breakfast." 

"You idiot." 

"What'd I do now?!" 

"You really don't want me to make a list do you?" she asked, her voice conveying a calmness that she didn't really feel. 

"No, I don't want a list. I'm sorry I woke you last night. Wait a second, I didn't wake you. You woke up because I wasn't in bed with you, how is that my fault?" 

"It's not. I'm sorry. I'm still trying to get the hang of this stay at home mom thing and my fuse is a little short." 

"And I'm still trying to get the hang of a new Press Secretary. So could we just not fight about stupid things, please." he pleaded. 


	9. McGarry House of Hell 9

**McGarry House of Hell**

**by: Ginny and Becky**

**Pairing(s):** CJ/Leo  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Disclaimer:** The usual, not mine etc.  
**Summary:** Further adventures of the McGarry clan. Sequel to "You Could Drive A Person Crazy"  
**Feedback:** Feedback is appreciated.  


* * *

Part 9 

She sighed. "Yeah. Yeah." She was silent for a long time, then slammed her hand down on the vanity and left. 

Leo shook his head and sighed, knowing that she was going to be pissed the rest of the day. 

He also knew that it was the comment about the new Press Secretary that sent her flying at the edge. 

Deciding that a quick get away was in order, Leo dressed as fast as he could and left before the kids got up. He did pause to kiss CJ on the cheek but didn't say anything. 

He had just dropped him briefcase on the couch when Margaret came in. "CJ let you out of bed this morning?" she teased. 

Leo turned to look at her. The look on his face told Margaret to get out of there as soon as possible. 

"I'm just going to go get you some coffee. I'll be back in a minute with your schedule." she said quietly as she backed out the door. 

A few minutes later, after Margaret had read him his schedule, and again had retreated, Jed was in Leo's office. 

"I just got a phone call from your wife," he said. "She's in tears because apparently, you aren't answering your private line, and she's having a very bad day." 

"We both are, so she can get over it," Leo said. "I have a job to do, and she does too. That should be enough." 

Jed slammed his fist down on Leo's desk. "I promised I wasn't going to be this person, Leo, I did -- but you two have to stop it."

"Jed, we've always held firm to certain unspoken boundaries we've set up over the years. One of those is...we don't play marriage counselor to each other."

"I know. I'm sorry. I just don't want to see you hurt, either of you. Now, call CJ." 

"I can't. I don't have the time nor inclination to fight with her right now. There's too much stuff to do here." he said motioning to the pile of work on his desk. 

Jed shrugged. "90% of that stuff you can push aside or delegate. It's not like anyone else is doing anything today." 

"Thanks, but no dice -- it's my job, sir, and I'll trust you to leave me to it." 

"Call your wife. NOW." 

As if on cue, the private phone rang, and Leo sighed before shooting it an evil look. 

"Pick it up," Jed growled. "NOW." 

Leo, against his better judgment, picked up the phone. "Hi." 

"Hi. I wanted to let you know Mom and Dad got here a few minutes ago." With that, CJ hung up the phone.

"You hung up on her?" yelled Jed. 

"No, she hung up on me. She told me her parents just got there and she hung up. Now, if you'll excuse me, I really do have things I need to do." 

"Fine." said Jed as he turned to leave. "Fix this." he ordered over his shoulder as he went into the Oval Office. 

Leo sighed. "There really isn't anything to fix!" he yelled into the other room. With that, he cracked down and got to work. No one that didn't have an appointment dared cross the threshold of Leo's office that day. 

When he got home, he was immediately greeted by a symphony of noise. The kids were all still up, even though it was past nine-o-clock, and CJ and her parents were making enough noise to keep them wound up the rest of the night. 

Pat saw him and trotted up. "Daddy, daddy!" 

He scooped Pat up into his arms and kissed him. "Grandma and Grandpa are here." said Pat. 

"I know they are." 

Leo carried Pat into the living room where he greeted Thomas and Lilian like nothing was wrong. He hesitated before approaching CJ. She sensed it and walked over to him, kissing him soundly on the lips. "I love you." she whispered in his ear. And for the first time that day, Leo smiled. 

After everyone else had finally gone to bed, CJ and Leo walked into their bedroom, and CJ sat down gingerly on the edge of the bed. "Hi." 

Leo sat down beside her. "Hi." 

"Leo, I think we might have a problem." 

"What? Aside from the obvious ones, I mean?" 

She sighed. "I have to go in for a couple of scans, because my doctor thinks my fallopian tubes are rejoining." 

Leo blinked. "You had your tubes tied." 

"Yeah, well, they did the snip and tuck method, not the cauterizing, so it's more than possible for them to rejoin. She's doing the scans as a preventative measure. She understands completely why I had them tied in the first place." 

"The McGarry method," Leo groaned. "Shit." 

"Hey, the worst thing that could happen is that I have to go back under the knife and get it fixed," she said with a grin. "That's why I've been testy lately."

"OK, so that explains some stuff. When do you have to have this scan?" 

"I need to make an appointment tomorrow. They do it at the radiology office but it shouldn't be a big deal." 

"Let me know if you want me to go." 

"Nah, I'll be fine." 

When Leo got home form work the next evening, Thomas and Lilian were watching the kids because CJ was upstairs in bed already. 

He went upstairs and found her lying on her side, curled up beneath the covers. "Hey," he said softly. "How did it go?" 

"I have never hurt so much in my entire life," she whimpered. "Not even right after giving birth." 

"Wow, I didn't expect the hyst..hystero..what the hell was the name of the test?" he asked. 

"Hysterosalpingogram." 

"Yeah, that's it. I didn't think it would be that bad." 

"Me neither. I practically hyperventilated on the table. They gave me a lollipop, probably just to shut me up. But they did say I wasn't the worst patient they've ever had." she said with a little smile. "The good news is, the ends of the tubes are far enough apart that we should be fine." 

"That's something. Your mom is getting the kids ready for bed. You want me to give Ari a bottle?" 

"Yeah." 

He leaned over to brush back her hair and kiss her forehead. "You get some rest. I'll be back in a little while." 

"I've been resting since I got home," she moaned. 

"When did you..." 

"One-fifteen. I have no idea how I managed to drive myself home," she sighed, pulling the covers up higher. "Pat just about killed me earlier."

"Jumped on the bed, huh?" 

"Oh yeah." 

"You know, you could have called. I would have come home." 

"I called and talked to Margaret. She read off your schedule to me and I decided not to bother you. Mom and Dad were here. They kept the kids occupied. Don't get mad at Margaret." 

"I won't. I gotta go." he muttered as Ari's crying started to head towards the wailing stage. 

CJ nodded and tried to shift positions. "Dear God, this better have been worth it," she groaned, gritting her teeth. 

Leo came back into the bedroom a few minutes later with Ari and a bottle. "Hey, you eat anything?" he asked. 

"No," CJ said softly.

"Want something?"

"Not now, maybe later."

"OK," he said as he settled down in the chair in the corner of the room to feed Ari. "How's she been today?" he asked with a glance done at his youngest child. 

"Pretty good, thank God." 

He smiled. "You gonna be okay?" 

"In a couple of days, maybe, but not for a while," CJ sighed. 

"Okay." Leo settled back in the chair feeding Ari while CJ drifted back to sleep. He got the baby settled down for the night, got himself something to eat and climbed into bed. 

CJ was feeling better the next morning but Leo insisted that she stay in bed. She wasn't about to argue with that. Leo dropped Rose at school on his way to work. By the time he made it into the office he was actually smiling. 

Margaret just stared at him when he placed a small bouquet of flowers on her desk. "OK, who are you and what have you done with Leo McGarry?' she teased. 

"Oh ye of little faith," Leo quipped with a smile. 

"Let me guess, you're really feeling better." 

"Yup." 

"CJ shouldn't have let you out of bed this morning." 

"CJ's a little incapacitated at the moment," he said, his smile fading 

"Hey, you looked at these numbers?" 

Margaret smiled. "Yeah, baby!" 

Leo just looked at her strangely for a second. "I didn't eat breakfast, you want anything from the Mess?" 

"Boy, flowers and food, I'm amazed." teased Margaret. 

"Don't get used to it." 

"I won't. Bagel and a cup of tea." 

"No problem. I'll be back in a minute." 

Leo went down and got the food, then came back up to find Jed lounging on the couch in his office. 

"Hello, sir..." 

"Margaret says you're springy today." 

Leo's brows scrunched together. "What?" 

"Springy. You know, like, a spring in your step. You're happy." 

"Ahkay..." 

"Well, you certainly look better than you have in a long time." 

"Thank you. I actually feel, normal, whatever that is. We meeting with Toby and Sam on the speech for next week?" 

"Yeah, 10 minutes." 

Leo nodded. "Good..." 

"No more worrying about the McGarry method, I assume?" 

"Shut up." 

"Abbey told me." 

"Yeah well, shut up anyway." Leo grinned over at Jed. "No more worries." 

They headed to the Oval Office to meet with the boys. For the first time in weeks it seemed like things were normal. Nobody seemed *off* for a change. Josh and Toby yawned throughout the meeting, thus earning some heavy duty teasing about being newlyweds. 

Josh growled something almost audible about going out to the grocery at all hours of the night to get watermelon, and Toby grunted something that no one understood. 

"So Sam, doesn't this make you want to settle down and get married?" teased Jed. 

"Well sir, not exactly." he grinned. 

Jed dismissed them and then sat down with Charlie to go over his schedule for the rest of the week. Leo wandered back to his office to call CJ. 

"Hello?" she said wearily. 

"Hey -- how're you doing?" 

"Not so great. Ari kicked me in the stomach a while ago while she was nursing." 

"I thought we were switching her over to the bottle..." 

"She wouldn't drink from the bottle. Anyway, I took some... stuff... and I'm waiting for it to kick in. Kate's been very quiet all day."

"OK, uh, I'm pretty swamped here but let me see what I can do about making it home for dinner. I can always come back here after the kids are in bed."

"That would be great, but just don't get yourself too run down." warned CJ. 

"I won't. I'll give you a call later and let you know what's happening." 

"Okay -- love you." 

"Love you, too, honey. Hey, we're getting some good numbers." 

"How good?" 

"Good enough that Margaret called me 'baby'." 

CJ laughed. "Really good, then." 

"Yeah." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

By the middle of the summer the numbers were still making a steady climb. Things at the McGarry household were hectic but manageable. Kate was in a day program from 9-3, Monday through Friday. Rose went to decamp and loved every minute of it. Pat was content to hang out at home with CJ, Michelle and Arianna. 

CJ had settled into the stay at home mom routine pretty well after a rocky start. She and Michelle had taken the kids to California for a week in the middle of July. 

As July turned to August things were getting even busier for Leo. The campaign was in full force and he was being pulled in too many directions. At the end of a particularly trying week he found himself on Air Force One, staring out the window at the Mississippi River. 

"Hey Leo, what do you think about..." Josh started to say as he walked into the cabin. He stopped short when he realized Leo wasn't really paying any attention to him. "Leo, you ok?" 

Leo took a deep breath to try and clear his head as he held out his hand for the file Josh had. 

"Yeah, I'm fine. Those the latest numbers?" 

"Uh, yeah. Dropped a little last week." 

"Within range, or..." 

"Within range. We're doing okay, 'cuz we rebounded in Idaho, of all places." 

Leo snorted. "The good old potato farmer." 

"Yeah, okay," Josh said. "How're you doing?" 

"I'm fine." 

"Leo, this is me you're talking to. What's wrong?" 

"Nothing that a week's worth of sleep wouldn't cure. I'm getting too old for this." he said with a small smile. "How's Donna doing? I know she didn't feel well this morning." 

"Yeah, this morning was a little rough. She's asleep now. Between her and Ginger its been tag team morning sickness around here." 

Leo nodded. "At least we don't have to worry about that at home anymore." 

Josh sighed and sat down. "Lucky you. I keep having to go out at all hours of the night, in search of weird food, and Ginger wakes Toby up in the middle of the night to rub her feet. I mean..." 

Leo smiled and held his hand up. "Talk to the hand. Five, Josh, count 'em, FIVE." 

"So I guess I'm not getting any sympathy from you?" 

"NONE. Now leave me alone so I can try and get a few hours sleep before we land." 

"Good, you could use some sleep. Want the lights off?" 

"Please and spread the word that I'm taking a nap." 

Josh turned out the light and left quietly. 

Alone for the first time all day Leo kicked off his shoes, slipped his suspenders from his shoulders and stretched out on the couch. 

When they finally landed, Leo was more than happy to go home and get into his own bed. He hadn't seen CJ or the kids in weeks, and he was looking forward to a family breakfast. 

It was about five when they got in, and about 6:30 when he got home. CJ made a little noise when he climbed into bed and rolled over to snuggle up, but never woke. 

Three hours later he woke up to a little body curled up next to him and a little hand tucked into his own. He opened his eyes to find Pat sound asleep next to him. He brushed back his hair and kissed his forehead. While Pat slept he got a good look at his son for the first time in weeks. He'd grown a lot over the summer, his hair was lighter from the sun and he'd just gotten it cut. Leo was well on his way to becoming quite misty at the thought of what he had been missing when Rose wandered in. 

"Can I get in too?" 

"Sure sweetie." said Leo as he moved over and made room for her. 

CJ opened her eyes and smiled over at him. "Hey, what a nice surprise to find in my bed a handsome stranger," she teased. 

"It's nice to be home," Leo said with a smirk. 

"I'll be right back, guys," CJ said, getting up and heading for the bathroom. 

By the time CJ came back Pat was awake and hungry. 

"Mommy, I want pancakes." he declared as he slid off the bed. 

"I can do that. Give me a minute." 

She threw on her robe. "You stay up here for a while longer, try and get some more rest. You look tired. " she said to Leo. 

"I am." he admitted. 

"Mommy let's go." said Pat as he all but pulled CJ down the stairs so he could help her make pancakes. Rose followed them downstairs. 

Leo rolled back over and stuffed the pillow under his head. His plans to catch some more sleep were quickly interrupted by the ringing phone. 

CJ grabbed the phone before it could disturb him too much, and seeing as how she didn't call him, it either wasn't for him, or she was giving the caller a terse speech in which she said to stop calling, because he was asleep. 

Chuckling a little, Leo rolled over and went back to sleep. 

When he finally got up, CJ had already taken Rose to camp and Kate to her day program, and she was sitting on the couch with Pat and Ari. She was reading to Pat, and Ari was having a snack. 

Leo didn't want to interrupt the charming domestic scene, so he went out to the kitchen in search of something edible. He popped a bagel in the toaster and poured himself a cup of coffee. The newspaper was still on the counter so he scanned the headlines while he waited for the toaster. 

CJ came in a few minutes later. "Hey." 

He glanced up. "Hey..." 

"I missed you." 

He nodded. "I missed you guys, too." 

"You gonna stay today?" 

"Yeah -- we're flying to Florida tomorrow." 

"So you need a break." 

"Yeah."

"So, got any plans for today?" 

"Well, any chance of us ditching the kids?" he asked with a grin. 

"Two of them are already gone. I think I can manage to send the others out with Michelle this afternoon." she answered as she wrapped her arms around him from behind and kissed the top of his head. 

"Good. I want to spend some quality time with my wife," he said with a smirk. 

"Ah, really?" she teased, pressing a kiss to his head again. "Hey, you're getting balder up here..." 

"I know. Please don't rub it in." He paused. "You've put on weight." 

"Comes from eating the kids leftovers," she said, a bit too quickly.

"Mommy, Ari spit up on herself." yelled Pat from the living room. 

"Duty calls." muttered CJ as she went to clean up the baby. 

Two hours later Michelle and the kids were at the park with strict instructions not to come home until 3. CJ found Leo in the den, reading with his feet propped up on the desk. 

"Hey, kids gone?" he asked as he peered at her over his reading glasses. 

"Yep." she replied as she took the folder out of his hands and pulled him to his feet. 

He grinned at her. "Anything special planned?" 

"Well, making love with my husband would constitute special, I think," she replied with a smile as she pulled him to the stairs. "Come on..." 

"Always the bed -- why can't we do it on the floor for once?" 

"Because you can't get up afterwards," she pointed out as they reached the top of the stairs and she kissed him. 

"Yeah, you're probably right." 

She pulled him into the bedroom and all but threw him down on the bed. 

"Gee CJ, we have 3 hours." he teased 

"Leo it's been almost a month." she pointed out as she got to work on the buttons of his shirt. 

"And you're very horny," he pointed out in return. 

Usually, she'd've slapped him for that, but she restrained herself. "Yeah." 

"Okay, slow down a little, would ya?" he teased, working on undressing her. 

"I'll try." she muttered as she rolled off of him and reached down to undo his button fly jeans. She pulled them off quickly and climbed back on top of him. 

"Okay, that's nice," he said with a smile. 

"Just wait a minute," she said with a wicked grin. "Then it'll be REALLY nice..." 

A little while later, she snuggled up in his arms. "Okay, yes, that was very nice," Leo said with a grin, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. 

"Thanks -- I try," she purred. 

He chuckled and pulled the sheet up over both of them. A short while later Leo had drifted off. CJ had a mental list a mile long of things she should be doing but she decided to just grab a book and spend some time reading and watching Leo sleep. 

She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek and settled down with the book on rearing children with autism that she'd gotten the week before. 

When Leo woke up again, he watched her for a long time, then said, "When did you find out?" 

"What?" she asked, looking over at him. 

"When did you find out?" 

"Find out what?" 

"That you're pregnant, CJ. When did you find out?" 

She sighed and closed the book with the page marked carefully. "A few weeks ago. Right after you left for your trip. I didn't want to tell you on the phone, so I waited." 

"I'm leaving on another trip tomorrow. Were you going to tell me today?" he asked as he sat up. 

"Yes, Leo. I was going to tell you a little later. When the kids were home, so you wouldn't overreact." 

"I'm not overreacting." 

"No, you're just hyperventilating," she pointed out. "And thinking about killing whoever tied my tubes." 

"Definitely the last part." 

She nodded. "Yeah, well, the thought had occurred to me, too. It happened before they retucked me. But, let me tell you, as soon as the baby's born, they're cauterizing me." 

"And I'm getting a vasectomy too. I'm not taking anymore chances." said Leo as he started laughing. 

"What is so funny?" asked CJ. 

"I was just thinking about how I'm almost 60 but apparently my boys still have..." 

"A good sense of direction?" she smirked. 

"You got a compass in there or something?" he teased. 

"Hey, I don't need one -- we've got the McGarry form of birth control," she replied with a semi-hysterical giggle. "Oh God, Leo, this is... I can't believe this is happening."

"By the way, when is this happening?" 

"March, right around Pat's birthday." 

"Well, he's got enough trouble with sibling rivalry so please don't have it on his birthday. And a boy would be nice." he teased. 

"Well, the boy part was up to you and as for picking the day, you know as well as I do that McGarry children show up when they damn well please." 

"Yeah," he said, looking at her for a long time. "A baby." 

"A baby." 

"ANOTHER baby." 

"Yeah." 

"Okay, you know, we really need to keep this under wraps, or, y'know, we're never gonna hear the end of it." 

"Shut up."

"Well, we should get up the kids are going to be back soon." 

"Guess you're right," he muttered as he looked down and realized that neither of them were wearing anything. "I'm gonna hop in the shower." 

"You want company?" 

"Sure." He smiled. "Y'know, we're gonna be fine. Overrun with children, but fine." 

"Yeah." 

"Just one question..." 

"Hmm?" 

"Where are we going to put this baby?" 

"Either Rose's room or Pat's." 

"It's gonna get mighty crowded. May it's time to look for a house out of the city. Some place with a bigger yard, a two car garage, white picket fence." 

"Leo, where the hell are we gonna find a house with more than five bedrooms without going two hundred miles away?" 

"Good point." 

"I'll look into it but I don't think we're going to be able to find anything close enough to the White House and even remotely affordable." 

"CJ, do we have to have the money discussion again?" teased Leo. 

"No, but you have to remember, these kids are going to need to go to college eventually." 

"I know. Look, we're wasting time standing here arguing naked when we could be in the shower together." 

She snickered. "Yeah. Well... you started it." 

"And I need to take you out for a night of Shakespeare to get those nasty little kids' thoughts out of your head, don't I?" he teased. 

"You wish," she purred, kissing him and bouncing into the shower.

They had a nice quiet rest of the day at home with the kids. Rose was all excited about camp, Kate was trying to talk, Ari was content on a blanket on the floor and Pat was...well, Pat was being Pat. 

He was struggling between being excited to see Leo and angry that he had been away for so long. It broke Leo's heart to see him like that. 

"Hey Pat, why don't you and Daddy take a walk?" Leo asked him after they had finished their pizza. 

Pat nodded and went to wash his hands. He was meticulous like that, now, Leo had discovered. 

Once done, Pat came and took his father's hand and they left for their walk. 

CJ watched them leave with a sigh. She cleaned up the kitchen and settled down to read to the girls. 

Pat and Leo ended up at the ice cream place a few blocks away. Leo watched as Pat dug into his dish of strawberry with enthusiasm. 

"Daddy, are you going away again?" asked Pat without looking up from his ice cream. 

"Yeah, tomorrow. Only for three days." 

"You going on Force One." 

"Air Force One," giggled Leo. 

"Can I go, too?" 

"No, sweetie." 

"Why not?" 

"Because we're going to try to swing some votes." 

"Like a park swing? I can swing, daddy..." 

Leo was laughing hysterically, and was receiving dirty looks from the other patrons. 

"You shouldn't laugh at your grandson!" one old woman scolded, which made Leo laugh harder. 

The old woman looked at Leo with disgust and got up and moved to another table. 

"Daddy, I want to go. I'm tired of being the only boy at home." whined Pat. 

*You might not be for long* Leo thought to himself. 

Leo mentally ran through the agenda for the trip, trying to decide if there was any way he could take Pat. 

He finally said, "If you promise to behave for Margaret and Aunt Abbey, I can take you." 

Pat nodded. "I will, I promise, Daddy!" 

"OK, let's go home and pack, we're leaving bright and early tomorrow morning." 

Pat tossed his empty dish in the trashcan and grabbed Leo's hand, trying to pull him down the street. 

Pat burst into the house, "I'm going with Daddy on Force One." he yelled as he ran upstairs. 

CJ just looked at Leo. 

"I caved, what can I say?" he said with a shrug of his shoulders. 

"Can I go next time?" asked Rose. 

"I'm sure we can work something out before you go back to school." said Leo as he headed upstairs to pack. 

CJ followed him, leaving Kate and Ari with Michelle in the living room 

"You're taking Pat? Who's going to watch him, Leo? You can't take him if you're not going to watch him..." 

"Margaret and Abbey will take care of it, CJ -- it's going to be fine, okay?" 

"Fine, if you think you can handle it?" 

"CJ, we'll be fine. You can have some girl-time while we're gone." 

"OK. You want me to help you?" she asked pointing towards the empty suitcase on the bed. 

"Nah, I got it. You can get Pat's stuff together." 

Half an hour later Pat was dragging his little suitcase down the stairs. With his backpack on and, much to Leo's dismay, his Notre Dame hat, he was ready to go. 

"Pat, sweetie, we're not leaving until the morning." laughed Leo. 

"I know, I'm just getting ready." Pat explained. 

"Oh, ok. Why don't you go upstairs? Mommy will put you in the tub. No dirty kids allowed on Air Force One." teased Leo.

"I'm not dirty!" Pat protested. 

"Well, go get a bath anyway, kiddo -- I've got to call Uncle Jed and let him know I'm bringing you along, okay?" 

"'Kay..."

Leo went into the den and dialed the phone and flicked on CNN at the same time. 

The White House operator answered on the first ring but apparently they were having a little trouble finding Jed. After a little while he came to the phone. 

"What took you so long? Were you in the secret tunnel?" teased Leo. 

"No I was...oh, never mind. What's up?" 

"I'm bringing Pat this trip. He's a little upset about being the only boy at home, so I thought some guy time would be good for him. If that's okay with you." 

"Sure. We'll speak as men do." 

"No Monty Python." 

"OK. I'll see you at 6:00." 

"Yeah. Someday you can explain to me why we never leave at a normal hour." teased Leo. 

"See you tomorrow." 

Leo straightened a few things out on the desk, repacked his briefcase and called Margaret to warn her. By the time he was done Pat was in his pajamas and Rose was reading him a story. 

"Where's mom?" Leo asked. 

"She's reading to Kate," Rose said before going back to the book. 

Leo found CJ in the bedroom with Kate and Ari, reading Lewis Carroll to Kate. She looked up and Leo and finished the page. "That's it, honey," she said softly, kissing Kate's cheek. "Sleep well..." 

Kate gurgled a good night and CJ headed over to Leo. "Hey," she said softly. 

"Lewis Carroll?" 

"She loves it." 

Pat was up at 5:00 the next morning, jumping on top of Leo who had just slammed down the snooze button and was attempting to get anther 9 minutes rest. 

"Daddy, Daddy, let's go to Florida." said Pat as he pulled back the covers. 

"Leo, your son's awake." muttered CJ as she pulled the pillow over her head. 

"Ha, ha." grumbled Leo as he headed for the shower. 

"Pat your clothes are on the chair in your room, bring them in here and Mommy will help you put them on." 

"I can do it myself." sighed Pat. 

"Hey, go for it." replied CJ as she rolled back over. 

A few minutes later, Pat came back, crying. "I can't... my zipper's stuck!" he wailed. "Daddy won' take me if..." 

"Shh..." CJ whispered, sitting up and helping him zip his shorts. "It's okay, honey." 

"Thanks, Mommy" he said kissing her cheek. 

"You go put your shirt on. I think your sneakers are by the front door. I'll be down in a minute to get you something to eat." 

"I don't need anything mom, I'm eating on the plane." he declared. 

"Oh, okay." said CJ, trying to keep a straight face. 

"But I'd like a cup of milk," Pat said. "And a muffin." 

CJ smiled. "Okay, honey." 

Pat was already sitting out on the front porch when Leo came downstairs. 

"Where's Pat?" he asked as he grabbed a muffin. 

"On the steps, wearing his backpack, waiting for you. The driver just pulled up." 

"Tell me Pat's not wearing his Notre Dame hat." groaned Leo 

"Oh yeah, he's wearing it. And he packed his Harvard t-shirt Josh gave him for his birthday." 

"He needs Michigan clothes CJ." 

"Whatever Leo, hurry up, you're going to be late." 

She kissed him and ushered him out the door. 

"Hey, call me," Leo called over his shoulder. 

"You can bet on it, since you took my baby boy with you!" CJ shouted menacingly. "Take care of him." 

"Hey, what about me?" 

"You take care, too, but take care of Pat, Leo." 

"Claudia Jean, stop worrying." yelled Leo as he buckled Pat in the car. 

"Never." she said as she gave one last wave. 

By the time everyone boarded Air Force One it was very apparent that Pat was the most wide-awake out of the group. Leo tried to convince his son to settle down at the table in Jed's office and color while he rested on the couch. But Pat was entirely too wired to even think about sitting still. 

"I wanna go for a walk." he declared, pulling at Leo's hand. 

Leo sighed. "Not until after we get up in the air, okay? So sit down and we're going to color." 

"But, Daddy!" Pat whined. 

"Not buts, little man. Park it." 

Jed smiled over at Leo in amusement. 

"Don't start Mr. President." smirked Leo. 

Pat eventually settled down while the plane took off but the moment the pilot gave the ok to walk around he was gone. 

"Let him go Leo, it's not like he can wander very far." said Jed as he tossed a stack of papers on the desk. "We've got some numbers to go over." 

Pat made a couple of laps around the plane, not bothering anybody, just walking around seeing what there was to see. 

Pat eventually wandered back. "I'm hungry, Daddy..." he whined. 

Leo looked over at Margaret. She got the point. "Come on, Pat, let's go get you some of those Air Force One pretzels," she said, offering Pat her hand. 

Leo and Jed turned back to their conversation while Margaret and Pat set off in search of snacks. 

Margaret came back a while later, alone. 

"Margaret, aren't you forgetting someone?" 

"He's with Josh and Donna." 

Leo grunted. "Why? Don't they have things to be doing?" 

"Yes, but they insisted, Leo -- what am I supposed to say when Pat won't let go of Josh?" 

"Leo, he's fine." said Jed quietly. "Margaret would you excuse us for a minute?" 

"Sure" 

"OK, Leo, spill it, what's wrong with you?" 

"There's nothing wrong with me, aside form the fact that I'm traveling with a toddler who's into everything and won't stay put in one place!" Leo said. "Can we get back to work, PLEASE?!" 

Jed pushed aside the papers on the desk and leaned back in his chair, propping up his feet. 

"What?" grunted Leo. 

"Leo, look at me. I've known you for 40 years. What's wrong?" 

Leo sighed and looked down. "CJ's pregnant." 

"Excuse me?" 

"You heard me." 

"I thought you guys got..." 

"Yeah, well, obviously, it didn't work out the way it was supposed to," Leo sighed.

"When?" 

"March, around our anniversary and Pat's birthday." 

Jed was just about to say something when there was a knock at the door. 

"Come in." 

"Sir, the Vice President is on the phone for you." said Charlie as he stuck his head in the door. 

"Thanks." 

"I'm gonna go check on Pat." muttered Leo as he left. 

Leo found Pat in Josh's lap. He was sound asleep, as was Josh. 

"Josh ok, he doesn't usually sleep on the plane?" Leo asked Donna who was sitting across the aisle from the sleeping pair. 

"Headache and he's tired. Hasn't been sleeping too well." 

"Keeping him up with strange food cravings in the middle of the night?" teased Leo. 

"No, the whole election has him so wired that he just can't settle down enough to fall asleep." 

"Keep an eye on him. I don't want to see him get too run down." 

"I will. Why don't you sit down for a minute. You look pretty tired yourself." said Donna patting to the seat next to her. 

"Sure, thanks." said Leo as he settled down and put his feet up. 

Next thing he knew, he felt the familiar pressure of landing in his ears, and then the not so familiar pressure of someone sitting on him. 

"Daddy, my ears hurt!" Pat protested loudly, jarring Leo back to consciousness.

"Huh?," Leo muttered as he held Pat in his lap with one hand and rubbed his eyes with the other. "It'll be fine in a minute. Wait till we land." 

They stumbled out into the bright Florida sun a little while later. Leo grabbed Pat's hand and the descended the stairs. 

"Daddy, where is he?" 

"Who?" asked Leo distractedly. 

"Mickey Mouse." 

Leo just made a sound somewhere between a chuckle and a groan. 

"Mickey's still at home, sleeping, honey," Leo sighed. "But I can call him and see if he can come see you..." *Or I can send you to Disney World with Donna this afternoon...* 

"COOL!" Pat shrieked, making everyone deplaning turn and stare at him. 

Leo gave a weak smile shrugged his shoulders. 

They managed to get to the hotel without any problems. Leo got them settled in their room while Pat ran back and forth through the door that connected Leo's room with Jed's suite. 

"Pat stay in here for a minute." Leo said sternly after Pat had practically run Charlie over while flying through Jed's sitting room. 

Pat grumbled for a minute and then turned on the TV. Jed appeared in the doorway. 

"I'm sorry about Pat, Mr. President. Bringing him wasn't a good idea." Leo apologized. 

"Leo, it's fine. I use to campaign with 3 girls, remember?" 

"Yeah, but none of your girls were as wound up as this..." Leo pointed out. 

"Wanna make a bet? They only behaved around you because I said you'd eat them up and spit them back out if they didn't." 

Leo rolled his eyes. "Thanks a lot." 

"You're welcome." Jed smiled. "You ought to call CJ before we get ready for the thing."

"Yeah." 

Jed left and Leo called CJ. She had just gotten home from dropping the girls off. Michelle was going to take Ari for a walk and CJ was going to sit on the couch and enjoy the peace and quiet. 

Leo glanced over the schedule for the next 2 days. He saw a couple of places he could probably sneak in a trip to Walt Disney World with Pat. 

"Come on Pat, let's get ready to go." said Leo as he headed for the bathroom. 

"Go where, Daddy? Can I wear my Notre Dame hat?" Pat asked, bouncing a little. 

"We're going to go have donuts with the Governor," Leo said. "You have to behave and sit on Margaret's lap and not say anything, okay?" 

"But what if the donut's yummy?" 

"Leo Patrick," said Leo in his best *warning* voice. "And you can wear the hat, if you must." 

"I must." said Pat putting his hat back on and sliding off the bed. 

Leo grinned, grabbed Pat's backpack filled with relatively quiet distractions and headed for the lobby. 

Leo smiled a little and took Pat's hand. "We're going to get you a Michigan hat soon," he said. 

"Where's Michigan?" 

Leo cringed.

The others were waiting in the lobby when the elevator opened. Pat dropped Leo's hand and made a beeline for Josh who burst out laughing when he saw his hat. 

"Not a word out of you." warned Leo. 

"OK," said Josh with only a slight smirk. 

"You feeling better, cause you still look like crap." 

"No, I don't feel better and thanks for pointing out the obvious." muttered Josh. 

"Sorry," Leo said with a teasing smile. "It gets better -- just make sure when you decide to stop having kids... just make sure it's done." 

Josh shot him an odd look. "Ahkay... Leo, you okay?" 

"Yeah, fine."

The elevator doors opened once again and Jed and Abbey emerged, along with Charlie and a few agents. Everyone moved quickly to the cars and headed for the breakfast with the Governor. 

Throughout the meeting Pat was surprising well-behaved and quiet. He offered his hand to the Governor, took a seat with Margaret and had a doughnut. 

As they left, though, he piped up. "Daddy, can we go meet Mickey Mouse now?" 

Governor Richards just about fell out of his chair, laughing. 

Leo's face flushed.

"It's ok," replied the Governor. "The first thing my grandchildren want to do when they visit is to see Mickey Mouse too." 

By late in the afternoon Pat had collapsed on the bed and fallen asleep watching Nickelodeon. Leo, Jed and the rest of the senior staff were meeting in Jed's suite. 

Margaret handed Leo his phone. "It's CJ," she said with a smile. 

"Can it wait?" 

"I don't think so," Margaret said with a wide grin. 

"Hmmph..." Leo said, taking the phone. "What, hon? We're kind of in the middle of a meeting." 

"Well, first I want to check up on Pat -- did he get his nap?" 

"He's sleeping like a baby in my room -- Abbey's watching him." 

"No problems?" 

"Ahh... guess what." 

"What?" 

"Ari's crawling." 

"Great!" 

"And Kate sat up by herself."

"Wow, pretty eventful 12 hours you ladies have had. Look, I have to go, I'll call you later. Love you." 

Leo punched the end button and tossed the phone on the table. He looked up to find everyone looking at him and making kissing noises. 

"OH, leave me the hell alone." he grumbled as everyone burst out laughing. 

"So, what was that about?" Jed asked with a grin. 

"None of your business..." 

"Proud papa stuff?" 

Leo grinned sheepishly. "Hell yeah -- Ari's crawling around and Kate sat up by herself." 

Jed shot Josh a look. "Don't tell me we're gonna have you pullin' this stuff, too, because Leo's pretty damn boastful about his girls and guy." 

"Shut up, will ya?"

They wrapped up the meeting and headed out for dinner. Donna and Josh stayed behind to watch Pat, who was thrilled to order room service and eat on the balcony. 

By 9 Pat and Josh were sound asleep in Josh and Donna's room. 

Leo knocked on the door at 9:15 to collect him, but Donna sent him away, saying she'd keep an eye on him and return him the next afternoon. Seems that Donna and Margaret had been in cahoots with Abbey to give Pat his much longed-for Disney World visit. "Just drop off some clothes and his Notre Dame hat." 

Leo went back to his room, grabbed Pat's stuff and dropped it off. 

"Thank you so much." he said as he leaned over to plant a kiss on Donna's cheek. 

"No problem. I'll keep an eye on Pat. Do me a favor and keep an eye on Josh." 

"No problem. Call my cell if you need anything." 

"No problem," Donna said with a grin. "This is good practice for us, you know. I just want to ask you one thing." 

"Hmm?" 

"You and CJ want to come over for dinner somewhere along? I learned how to make a killer baked ziti..." 

Leo flinched. "Donna, CJ's really not up to tomatoes right now."

Donna gave him a strange look and pulled him into the room, shutting the door behind her. She motioned towards the balcony. Leo went outside and leaned over the railing. 

"Leo?" 

"She's pregnant again. And before you ask, apparently the tube tying didn't work. She's due in March." he sighed. 

"Wow." 

"Yeah, ya think?" he said sarcastically. 

"I take it you don't feel great about it." 

"I don't really, and neither, really, does CJ. It's another body to take care of, and she's stretched thin enough already." 

"Yeah..." 

"But what can we do? I mean, we made our bed, now we have to sleep in it."

JOsh wandered out to the balcony still half asleep. "What's up?" 

"NOthing sweetie, Leo and I were just talking. You need something?" asked Donna. 

"No, I'm just going to get a drink of water and change," he said pointing down to his completely rumpled shirt and pants, "and go back to sleep. What time is it?" 

"Almost 10. I'm going to get going." said Leo. "You can tell him in the morning when he's awake." he whispered in Donna's ear as he walked by. 

She nodded and moved to wrap her arm around Josh's waist. "Okay, stink-man, let's get you changed..." 

"Stink-man?" Josh protested as Leo walked out the door. 

He went back to his suite, and found Margaret waiting for him. "CJ called a few minutes ago," she said. 

"My phone bill is going to be horrendous..." Leo sighed. 

"Leo, you can certainly afford to talk to you wife." said Margaret, rolling her eyes. "You gonna need me for anything else tonight?" 

"Nope, I'll see you in the morning." 

"Good night Leo. Tell CJ I said hi." she said as she slipped out the door. 

He kicked off his shoes, changed, brushed his teeth and climbed into bed to call CJ. 

Michelle picked up the house phone. "McGarry residence..." 

"Shelly, it's Leo -- CJ there?" 

There was a long silence, then Michelle said, "No, she's not." 

"Where is she?" 

"She's got her cellphone with her," Michelle said evasively. 

"Shelly, where is she?" Leo asked, worry creeping into his voice. 

"She's at the hospital," Michelle finally caved. 

"Oh god, what happened?" 

"I don't know. You'll have to ask her."

"MICHELLE" he bellowed. 

"Leo, I swear I don't know. Call her cellphone." 

"OK, sorry." 

Leo punched in CJ's cell number and waited and waited. Her voice mail picked up. "CJ it's me, I know where you are, please call me" he said nearing the pleading stage. He turned off the phone and threw a pillow across the room. 

"Leo." Jed said softly from the doorway. 

"WHAT?!" Leo exploded. 

"Well, I came in to see if Margaret left you the agriculture poll, but I now sense something else is wrong..." 

"CJ's at the hospital but won't pick up her damn cellphone."

Jed sat down on the other bed. "I can have Air Force One ready to go in 45 minutes." he offered. 

"No, I want to talk to her first and if I have to get home I'll fly commercially." 

"Well, the offer still stands. I was just about to have some tea. Why don't you come next door, bring your phone." 

"OK" sighed Leo wearily as he stood up and shoved his feet into his slippers. 

"Where's Pat?" 

"Josh and Donna's House of Love..." Leo muttered sarcastically. 

"Hey, you don't have to be mean." 

Abbey was on the phone when they came in. "Honey, I'm sorry... look, I have to go. My master and his apprentice just walked in. Yes, you'd better call your husband, he's looking pretty upset. Okay. Love you, too, CJ -- get some more Kleenex, okay?" Abbey looked at Leo and sighed. 

"She lost the baby?" whispered Leo. 

Abbey nodded and walked over to hug him. "She's gonna call you in a minute." 

She sat Leo down on the couch while Jed poured him a cup of tea. 

Leo's phone rang a minute later, and he fumbled at it. "CJ?" 

"Did she tell you?" CJ asked, her tone flat. 

"Yeah -- honey, what happened?" 

"I lost the baby, moron." 

He flinched. "I know. But what happened?" 

"The usual -- cramps, bleeding, passing out on the kitchen floor..." Jed and Abbey stood up and went to the bedroom to give Leo some space. 

"Why didn't you call me?" 

"I did, Margaret had your phone." she pointed out. 

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I was down the hall talking to Donna. I'm going to get packed, I'll be home as soon as I can." 

"Leo, don't please. Stay where you are. They're going to let me go in a little while. Michelle's coming to get me." 

"Who's with the girls?" 

"Ginger" 

"Are you sure you don't want me to come home?" Leo asked. 

"I'm sure. I love you and I'll call you in the morning." 

"I love you too." he whispered. 

He shut the phone off and put his head in his hands, sobbing. 

Jed and Abbey stayed in their bedroom to give him the space he so desperately needed, and eventually, he knocked on the door. 

"Come in," Jed said. 

"I just... wanted to tell you... I'm going back to my room now." 

"Leo, you can stay here if you want," Abbey said gently. "I'm sure you're very upset, and you shouldn't be alone." 

"I'll be fine," Leo said, his voice cold. "I'm going back to my room." 

Abbey nudged Jed, who got up and followed Leo back to his room. 

"Jed, you don't need to come with me." said Leo over his shoulder. 

"I know I don't but Abbey sent me and I..." 

"Don't want to get on her bad side." 

"Something like that. You want to go for a walk or something?" 

"Sir, it's almost 11 at night, let's give the Secret Service a break." 

Jed nodded and sighed. 

"Don't look like somebody killed your dog," Leo snapped. "It was my child that died. Go back to you room and go to bed."

"Leo," Jed said softly. 

"Please I just want to be alone. There is one thing you could do though. I just got finished telling Donna about the baby. She was going to tell Josh in the morning. Could you tell them what happened?" 

"Of course. Get some sleep." said Jed as he patted Leo on the shoulder and headed back to his own room. 

Leo was awake almost all night, and when Margaret came in the next morning, he hadn't shaved or showered, and he was sitting in front of the coffee table, which was covered in bottles of alcohol from the minibar. 

"OH MY GOD!" Margaret shouted. "Leo..." 

He looked at her, hollow-eyed. "I didn't drink anything." He sighed deeply. "I wish to God I had, though."

She set to work on putting the bottles back in the mini-bar. "Mrs. Bartlet told me what happened. I'm so sorry." 

"Thanks." 

"You need to take a shower and get ready, you have a meeting in 45 minutes." 

Leo didn't move. Margaret sat down on the coffee table in front of Leo, putting her hands on his knees. "Leo, come on, go take a shower. You'll feel better. I'll get some coffee." 

He nodded a little and wiped his eyes. Margaret leaned over and kissed his forehead. "It's gonna be ok. Let me know if you need anything." 

"Thanks" he muttered as he let her pull him to his feet. 

"Come on," she said softly. "You've got to get ready." 

He nodded. "I should be there with her." 

"Did she ask you to come home?" 

"No... but I should be with her, Margaret." 

"We're going home tomorrow night." 

"Yeah."

Margaret gave Leo one last push in the direction of the bathroom before going to get him some coffee. When she returned she heard the shower go off and the water running in the sink. She went to the closet and pulled out a suit and a shirt. Going through the dresser drawers she found boxers, an undershirt, socks and a tie. 

"Margaret?" 

"Yeah, I'm here." 

"Toss my robe in please." 

She tossed it in and then started to go through his briefcase, removing various things and adding others. 

"You know, I can dress myself." he smirked when he saw his clothes laid out on the bed. 

"Yeah, I know but I think maybe you need a little looking after today." she said with a smile. 

"You're probably right. Now get out of here so I can get dressed." 

She grinned at him. "Yes, Leo. It's nice to see you're feeling a little better..." 

He shrugged. "OUT." 

She nodded and beat a hasty retreat.

Leo went through most of the day in a daze. He was eternally grateful that Donna had taken Pat to Disney World. 

When Leo dragged himself back into his room around 4 he was more than ready for a nap. He kicked off his shoes, put on CNN and stretched out on the bed. 

A while later, the door opened and Pat bounced in. "Daddy, Daddy!" he shrieked. 

Leo groaned and opened one eye. Pat had traded his Notre Dame cap for a pair of Mouse Ears. "What?" Leo sighed. 

"I met Mickey and Minnie and Pluto and Goofy and POOH!" Pat yelled, catapulting onto the bed. "And Pooh thought it was cool that you brought me! Thank you, daddy...." Pat put his arms around Leo's neck and kissed him on the cheek. 

Leo started to cry. 


	10. McGarry House of Hell 10

**McGarry House of Hell**

**by: Ginny and Becky**

**Pairing(s):** CJ/Leo  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Disclaimer:** The usual, not mine etc.  
**Summary:** Further adventures of the McGarry clan. Sequel to "You Could Drive A Person Crazy"  
**Feedback:** Feedback is appreciated.  


* * *

Part 10 

"Daddy, what's wrong?" asked Pat as he reached out to wipe a tear from Leo's cheek. 

"Nothing, I'm fine." he said, trying to pull himself together. He took the mouse ears off Pat's head and put them on his own. 

"Daddy, they're too small for you." said Pat as he took them back and put them on his own head. 

Leo smiled. 'You wanna talk to mommy?" 

Pat nodded. "Can I tell her about Pooh?" 

Leo laughed. "Yeah, baby." he kissed Pat on the cheek and reached for the phone. 

Pat talked to Rose, to Michelle and finally to CJ before handing the phone to Leo. 

"I'm going to see Uncle Jed." declared Pat as he headed for the door. 

Leo waved to him and turned his attention to the phone. 

"Hi honey, how are you doing?" he asked as he settled back against the headboard. 

"Okay, I guess," CJ sighed. "Michelle's keeping things on as even a keel as possible, so I can rest." 

"Okay... I had a pretty bad night." 

"Me, too. I couldn't sleep." 

"Me, either." He hesitated for a second, then said, "I almost drank last night, CJ." 

"Oh Leo" she sighed. 

"I didn't. But I came close enough that I scared the crap out of Margaret this morning. She found me staring at a coffee table covered in bottles from the mini bar." 

He heard CJ exhale sharply. 

"You should have called me..." 

"Why make you feel any worse than you already do?" Leo sighed, rubbing his face with his hand. "I'm just glad Donna took him today." 

"Yeah -- he had fun." Her voice broke. 

"Honey?" 

"It was a boy, Leo. The baby was a boy." 

Leo felt like she had just punched him in the stomach. 

"A boy?" he managed to choke out. 

"Yeah. I have to go, Ari is screaming and Kate's hungry. Call me later." 

"OK. I love you." 

"Love you too, bye." 

Leo hung up and covered his eyes with his arm. "God dammit," he whispered. 

*~*~* 

"Mommy, Mommy!" Pat yelled as they came into the house at eight-thirty the next night. 

CJ turned from her place on the couch and smiled. "Hey, baby -- come tell me about your trip." 

Pat sat down next to CJ and gave a detailed description of everything he had done on the trip from sitting with Josh on Air Force One, having donuts with the Governor, going to Disney World with Donna, and going swimming with Toby in the hotel pool. 

Leo wandered around the house greeting the girls. They were all excited to see him. 

Rose scrambled around and showed him her science project; Ari cooed and gurgled; Kate smiled and babbled and laughed, offering him sloppy kisses and sitting up for him. 

Leo smiled and made sure each of his girls knew he loved them. 

Later that night, after the kids were asleep, Leo and CJ collapsed into bed and into each other's arms. Leo had expected to spend the night comforting CJ. But as it turned out, it was easier for her to comfort him that to break down herself. 

She held him and kissed him, letting him weep and express his anger and distress. A single tear drifted down her cheek, but that was it. She couldn't let it free yet. It was too new, too fresh of a wound to even try. 

"I love you," she whispered, kissing Leo's cheek and cuddling him in her arms. 

Leo tried to speak but could only manage a shaky breath and a strangled moan. 

"Shhh, it's ok, I'm here." whispered CJ as she rubbed his back. 

He eventually settled down and fell asleep a little after midnight. CJ lay awake for another hour, grappling with her opposing feelings of sadness over losing the baby and the fact that deep down she hadn't wanted another child to begin with. 

It was those conflicted feelings that sent her to have lunch with Abbey the next day. 

"Hey, CJ -- come on in," Abbey said with a smile. "I had Lilli run down to get some sandwiches for us. You okay?" 

CJ nodded and sat down. "Leo's really upset." 

"Yeah, I know." 

"But I'm... kind of... not." 

"I figured. And let me guess, the fact that's your not that upset is upsetting you?" 

CJ nodded again as Lilli brought in sandwiches and tea. 

"CJ, I know exactly how you feel, I really do." said Abbey quietly. 

CJ looked at her with a puzzled look on her face. 

"Zoey was 5 and we suddenly found ourselves expecting baby number 4. Obviously it wasn't planned. But we accepted it as God's will and started to make plans. I was 3 months pregnant when we were spending Christmas at the farm. I woke up in the middle of the night and I knew it was happening. Jed and I went to the hospital and we were home before the girls woke up Christmas morning. We hadn't told them yet, so on one hand it was easier. But on the other I had to explain why I spent the better part of the holiday crying in my room." 

"I had no idea." said CJ quietly. 

"We... I... just don't talk about it." Abbey shrugged. "It does get better, but you always feel guilty." 

CJ snorted. "Just what I needed to hear." 

"Sorry." 

"I think the worst part was that the baby was another boy. Leo was so looking forward to having another little boy to spoil rotten." CJ's voice trailed off and she bit her lip. 

"Our baby was a boy too." Abbey admitted softly. 

Abbey grabbed the box of tissues and put it on the coffee table in front of them. They each took one, wiped their faces and turned their attention to their lunch. They ate and talked for over an hour, careful to avoid any subjects that were even remotely uncomfortable. 

"I probably ought to go see Leo before I go home," CJ said, hugging Abbey and kissing her on the cheek. "Thanks." 

Abbey nodded. "You ever need to talk, you know where to find me." 

CJ walked to the West Wing and found Leo was in a meeting with Jed. She wandered over to the Communications bullpen to look for Toby. He was in his office, surrounded by at least a dozen balled up pieces of yellow legal paper. 

"Hey, finally ran out of things to say?" she teased from the doorway. 

Toby grunted and hurled a wadded up piece of paper at her. She caught it and unballed it. "Tamara Ruth Ziegler?" she read with a smirk. "Isaac Adam Ziegler?" 

"Shut up." 

She smiled. "I think it's sweet." 

He shrugged. "Ginger wants me to come up with as many Jewish names as I can, so she can turn around and thoroughly decimate my family by naming our child something like Matthew or Mary." 

"I like Issac, personally." she said with a slight sigh. 

Toby stood up and grabbed the paper out of her hand. "I'm sorry, here, sit." he said clearing off a spot on the couch. 

She nodded and sat down. "Don't know if you heard yet... but I was pregnant and lost the baby while you all were down in Florida." 

"Ginger told me," Toby said gently. 

CJ nodded. "It was a boy. Leo's devastated." 

"And what about you?" he asked as he sat next to her. 

"I'm not devastated and let's just leave it at that for now, ok?" 

Toby nodded and kissed her on the temple. Ginger stuck her head in and told him that his presence was needed in the Oval Office. 

"Go, I'm fine. Tell Leo I'll call him later." 

Toby nodded and left. 

CJ wandered aimlessly back out to the minivan and drove home. Michelle met her at the door, saying, "Your children are driving me CRAZY!" 

CJ took a screaming Ari from her and walked into the McGarry House of Hell. Apparently Pat had been bugging Rose ever since she got home from camp, Ari wasn't having a good day and Kate was just being very vocal and very loud. 

"Why don't you take Rose around the corner for some ice cream?" CJ asked, turning back towards Michelle. 

CJ settled on the couch with Ari will Pat put a movie on for himself and Kate. 

"Okay, guys, we've got to have this calmed down before daddy gets home..." CJ said, letting Ari nurse. She had switched her over to a bottle almost completely, but today was one of those days... 

Three hours later, things had calmed down again. Rose was up in her room, reading, Pat was playing with Kate and Pooh, and Ari was settled down in her playpen. Ari took great delight in crawling around her playpen as fast as she could, then squealing and waving her arms. 

Leo had called about an hour earlier to say that he was actually going to make it home for dinner. CJ quickly scanned the kitchen for something halfway special to make. She sent Michelle to the store for a few things and then sent her out for the evening. 

At 7 Leo walked in the front door and was bombarded by two little bodies flying towards him and two more calling from the living room. He greeted them all, one by one and then went into the kitchen. 

"Hey, what smells so good?" 

"Supper..." CJ said with a smile, stirring the spaghetti sauce. "I thought we'd have pasta and sauce... Michelle got some garlic bread and salad, and some pudding for the kids, and some sparkling cider and shortbread cookies for you and me." 

"Where is Michelle, anyway?" 

"Trevor took her out for dinner," CJ replied. "We may lose our nanny again," she sighed, rubbing her forehead with her arm. "Ah... why don't you go get changed and hang out with the kids a while, and I'll finish this up and get it out on the table..." 

Leo went upstairs and threw on some shorts and a t-shirt before coming back downstairs to snuggle up with the kids on the couch. 

They had an extremely pleasant and quiet dinner. Everyone ate, nobody threw anything, nobody spilled anything. After dinner Leo sent CJ outside with the kids to play in the yard and he cleaned up the kitchen. 

By 9:30 Leo was the only one awake. He had helped CJ get the kids ready for bed and then sent her to get some sleep. He grabbed the pint of Cherries Garcia out of the freezer and went out to sit on the front porch. 

He wasn't surprised when a car pulled into the driveway and Josh climbed out. "Hey," Josh said, coming up the walk. 

"Hi, Josh," Leo said a little listlessly. "What?" 

"I just thought you might need someone to talk to." 

"I talk to CJ." 

"You know what I mean, Leo. Besides, Donna sent me." 

"Yeah, I didn't think it was your idea to come over here at 10:00 at night." 

Josh took a set next to Leo on the step. 

"Want some?" asked Leo as he held out the ice cream. 

"Nah, I'm fine. So Donna told me everything that happened while we were in Florida. You ok?" 

"Yes and no." 

"Ahkay..." Josh said. "What about CJ?" 

Leo snorted. "I'm half surprised she's not doing a dance of joy." 

Josh blinked. "Wow, that's a little harsh, don't ya think?" 

Leo took a deep breath and tossed the empty ice cream carton to the side. "Probably. It's just that...it's almost like I'm mad at her for not being more upset.." 

"For not being as upset as you?" 

"I guess. But deep down, there's a part of me that's relieved. And I just can't stand the fact that I feel that way. What kind of parent does that make me?" 

"You're a good parent, Leo. You wouldn't have claimed Rose if you weren't. Or have taken Pat on 'Force One'. Or been there with Arianna during those doctors' visits. Or brought Kate into the fold like you have. You are a wonderful father, Leo." 

"Thanks. I guess it's just been a rough summer. I haven't been home much. I feel like I've missed such a big part of the kids' lives these last few months. And it is only going to get worse from now until November. I just feel like I shortchange the kids." 

"You do the best you can. So what if you don't always have time to play ball and go to the park. Your kids are content to run around the White House, fly on Air Force One and order room service in some of the country's finest hotels." Josh explained with a smile. "You and CJ are doing a great job with the kids. I only hope Donna and I can adapt to this lifestyle as well and as quickly as you did." 

Leo snorted. "We didn't really have a choice, Josh, but thanks..." 

Josh nodded. "Hey, would you believe that Toby and Ginger and Donna and I look up to you guys as THE married through hell couple? Not the President and First Lady, but you two." 

"Why?" 

"Because of everything you've made it through -- your divorce, the kids, the Grand Jury, the... need I go on?" 

"In sickness and in health," Leo sighed. 

"Right. Although I'm sure you could use a little more health and a little less sickness about now." mused Josh as he stretched his legs out in front of him. 

"Oh yeah, we sure could." 

Josh laughed. "You know, I hope Donna and I make it like you guys have..." 

Leo sighed. "Don't go there, Josh, because this might be the thing that breaks us." 

Josh frowned and reached over to pat Leo's shoulder. "Leo, it's only been a few days. You both need some time." 

"I know but I don't have time to be upset, to grieve, to spend endless hours talking about my feelings. We're leaving again in 4 days, we'll be gone almost a week. I shudder to think what I'll come home to." 

Josh sighed. "Leo, just relax, okay? Go with the flow a little." 

"Easy for you to say. You don't live in McGarry's House of Hell." 

"Yeah, well, right now, you don't, either. Right now, you just kind of lease a bedspace. And I bet CJ's standing at the window right now, wondering why I'm here and not inside." 

"Actually, she's asleep, or at least she was when I came out here. I'm going in to make some tea or something. You wanna come in?" 

"Sure" 

They headed in and Leo put water on for tea and then went to check on everybody upstairs. They were all asleep, including CJ. 

He went back downstairs and said, "I told you," before searching in the cabinet for something other than herbal tea. 

Josh shrugged. "Yeah, well, usually, she's watching out the window like some kind of psychotically possessive hawk or something..." 

"Josh, you're past the point of helping here." said Leo as he opened yet another cabinet in search of plain old Lipton teas bags. 

"Yeah, well..." 

"Leo, the tea bags are in the pantry, next to the peanut butter crackers," CJ said from behind Josh. "Remember, I told you that earlier?" 

"What did *I* tell *YOU*?" Josh said. 

Leo grunted and glared at Josh. "What're you doing up, honey?" he asked. 

"I needed something to drink," CJ sighed, heading for the fridge. "But now that I've got it, I'll leave you two to speak as men do." 

"CJ you don't have to leave, I was, uh, just getting ready to leave." muttered Josh as he stood up. 

CJ reached over and pushed him back down into the chair. "Joshua please, I'm just getting a drink, you don't have to run out of here." 

"OK" 

CJ walked over to Leo, kissed him and turned to head back upstairs. 

"Hey, where's mine?" teased Josh. 

CJ laughed, leaned over and kissed his forehead. 

"Now I'm going back to bed, okay?" she said, walking out of the kitchen and heading for the stairs. 

Leo sighed. "Almost ten years, and I still can't remember she's a very light sleeper for the most part..." 

Josh laughed. "Yeah, well, it'd take a major ecological disaster to wake Donna up in the middle of the night..." 

"This coming from the man who has to set two alarms in order to get up." 

"Well, not anymore." 

"Donna just kicks you till you get up, huh?" 

"Pretty much." 

The kettle whistled and Leo poured tea and got out the rest of the shortbread cookies from dinner. 

They had tea, cookies, and some "guy chat" before Josh decided the time had come to call it a night, and he went home to be kicked around by Donna. 

Leo went upstairs, to find CJ with her bottle of juice propped up in bed, reading. "Hey," she said. "I couldn't go back to sleep." 

"Ah," Leo said, getting changed. The silence between them was strained. 

"Leo..." 

"Yeah?" 

"Nothing." 

Leo finished getting changed and went to brush his teeth. By the time he finished in the bathroom and checked on the kids CJ had turned off the light. He could tell she was only pretending to sleep but he didn't try and talk to her. It was just easier that way. And that realization kept him awake until the wee hours of the morning. 

He was dragging at work the next day, filled with worry over the new numbers and the thing with CJ and the kids. 

Margaret popped her head in. "Leo?" 

"Yeah?" 

"CJ's here." 

"Okay, I've got some time before I have to go to Treasury..." Leo sighed, knowing that this was going to be battle of wills. 

CJ came in. "Hey." 

"Hi -- where are the kids?" 

"Rose and Kate are at their things, and Pat and Ari went shopping with Michelle," CJ said, closing the door behind her. "Leo, we need to talk. I isn't the most appropriate time, but I need to talk to you now." 

"You want to do it here or go for a walk?" he asked as he pushed aside some papers and took off his glasses. 

"Being with people won't keep me from yelling Leo. I think you've learned that one by now." 

"Yeah, but I didn't eat breakfast and I was kinda in the mood for a hot dog." he said with a shrug. 

"Fine, we'll walk. But let's try and sneak out of here unnoticed." 

They managed to do just that. After stopping for hot dogs and soda at one on the many street vendors that parked along the ellipse they ended up at the Washington Monument. 

"So..." Leo said, taking a bite of his hot dog, spurting relish on his tie. "Aw, hell..." 

CJ giggled and set her paper tray down, swiping at the mess with her napkin. "Relax, babe... it'll come out in the wash, and you've got another one in your drawer, just in case." 

"Yeah." He took another bite and said around a mouthful of hot dog, "So... what are we going to talk about?" 

CJ just stared at him with her "don't be an idiot' look. 

"OK, I know. Things have been a little strained lately. I think we just need more time to work through our own feelings." 

"That's true but it's gotten so I don't even feel comfortable talking to you about the baby." she admitted quietly. 

"Did you ever really feel comfortable talking to me about the baby in the first place?" he countered. 

"That was a low blow," she hissed. 

"Yeah, well..." He shrugged and took another bite. 

"You son of a bitch." 

He turned to stare at her as if she had slapped him. 

"What, no snappy come-back for that?" she asked as she stood up and threw away the rest of her lunch. 

"CJ, I...I'm sorry, I didn't..." he stuttered, still staring at her. 

"Whatever. Look, you have work to do and I have to get home to the kids. We can continue this later." And with those words she turned and walked away. 

"Continue...I'm not even sure we started." muttered Leo to himself as he decided he wasn't quite ready to go back to the office yet. He took off in the direction of the Lincoln Memorial. 

CJ drove home, squealing her tires the whole way. When she got parked in the driveway, she leaned forward on the steering wheel and cried her eyes out. Then she pulled her boots up by the straps and went inside to face her children. 

When did I start thinking of them as my children, not ours? she wondered as she kissed Ari on the cheek. 

Meanwhile Leo tried to do some thinking in the shadow of Abe Lincoln but didn't have much luck. He walked down the path through the Vietnam Memorial and back to the White House. Josh was waiting in his office. 

"Josh, I'm really not in the mood for any trouble, please tell me you didn't piss anyone off." he muttered as he flipped through the stack of files on the desk. 

"Leo, stop." said Josh quietly as he reached out grabbed the phone messages and take Leo's arm, steering him towards the couch. "What happened? CJ stormed in here, grabbed her purse and left." 

"Don't try to be a marriage therapist, Josh, it doesn't do anything but piss me off." Leo sighed and put his glasses on. "I have a meeting with the Vice President." 

"Yeah, well, I have a meeting with some freak from some Congressional office or another, but I left him sitting in my office when CJ stormed in and out again." 

"Go take your damn meeting, Josh." 

Josh nervously tapped his foot and looked at Leo for another minute before giving in, "Fine, but I'm coming back later. You'd better be ready to talk." 

"Whatever. Do a job. I'll see you later." he said as he waved Josh out of the room. He put his glasses back on and bellowed, "Margaret." 

Margaret scurried in with a glare. "What the hell stupid-assed Irish thing did you do this time?" 

"What the hell?" 

"CJ just called and said you'd better change your tie and that she's packing to take the kids to her parents' for a couple of weeks."

"Dammit" he yelled as he tossed a briefing binder against the door to the Oval Office. 

Margaret took a tie out of the drawer, handed it to him and turned to leave. She stopped in the doorway and looked over her shoulder. "Let me know if you needs anything." she said quietly before leaving him alone. 

He wasn't alone for long. The sound of the binder hitting the door caused Jed to finish up his phone call and appear in the doorway in less than a minute. 

"Leo, what the hell?" 

Leo was sitting on the couch, his head in his hands. "We're not going to survive this thing, Jed, CJ and I aren't going to survive it." He sighed. "I'm surprised she hasn't already asked for a divorce." 

"Wait here." said Jed as he walked out to talk to Margaret. He returned a minute later. "Let's go. Margaret's clearing your schedule as best she can, Josh is taking your meeting this afternoon." 

"Where are we going?" groaned Leo as he pulled at his tie. 

"You are going to the residence to call CJ. Then you are going to get some sleep. You look like crap." 

"And what are you going to do, babysit?" 

"No, I'm walking you over and then coming back to, ya know, run the country." 

Leo sighed. "You can't fix this, Jed, and everything I do makes it worse. I don't know what the hell to do to fix it." 

"Well, you can start by talking to your wife. I don't know how she's planning on taking four children to her parents' by herself, but she's bound and determined to do it, according to Margaret." 

"She doesn't want to talk to me." said Leo as they walked outside. 

"Fine. Give her the rest of the day. Call her later, after she arrives in California." 

"OK, so I can go back to work." said Leo, stopping short. 

"No, you are going to get some rest." 

"Jed" whined Leo. 

"Stop whining or I'm calling in reinforcements." teased Jed. 

"I thought Abbey was out of town." 

"Damn. But she can still yell at you over the phone." 

"Oh, yeah, like I haven't been yelled at enough today already, thanks," Leo snarled. "I said not to play marriage therapist." 

"No you didn't." 

"I told Josh." 

"Well, do I look like Josh? CALL HER." 

Leo scowled at Jed and pulled out his cellphone. "Hi, Michelle, I need to talk to CJ." 

Jed walked away to give Leo some space to talk. The conversation didn't last long. 

"Well?" asked Jed after Leo had put the phone back in his pocket. 

"She's leaving for the airport in an hour. She's taking Michelle. They will all be back in two weeks, in time for the kids to start school." 

Jed made a sharp gesture in the direction of the door. "Go after her, Leo." 

"No." 

"Why not?" 

"Because it won't help. And I don't want to." 

"You don't want to? Do you realize how selfish that sounds, Leo?" 

"Yes, I do." 

Leo leaned heavily against a column, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. He started to say something to Jed when everything went black and he felt himself slide to the ground. 

CJ and the kids were on the plane and in the air when Jed patched a message through to the cockpit. 

CJ automatically reached for the air phone. "Jed, it's me -- what happened? Is he okay?" 

"No, CJ. He had a stroke." 

CJ dropped the phone and as she was bending over to reach for it when she began to sob. 

The plane made a scheduled stop in Chicago. Michelle continued on to California with Rose, Pat and Kate. CJ and Ari boarded a private plane that was waiting to take them back to Washington. It was almost 8 at night by the time CJ made it to the hospital. She had called and talked to Donna, who was waiting in the hospital lobby to take Ari for her. CJ barely stopped to hand Donna the baby, the diaper bag and the keys to the townhouse. 

"Thank you." she muttered as Donna hugged her. 

"We'll be fine." 

"CJ, come on, I'll take you up." said Josh, appearing out of nowhere. 

Josh gave Donna quick kiss and took CJ by the arm. 

They made their way to Leo's room, and Josh pushed her into the door. Tears filled her eyes as she looked at Leo, lying in the hospital bed, hooked up to god only knows how many machines and drips. 

She took a deep breath and told Josh to stay out for a while. It took her a minute to move closer to the bed. She finally pulled up a chair and settled into it, taking Leo's hand in hers. 

"Leo, sweetie it's me." she said quietly as she lifted his hand gently to her lips, carefully avoiding pulling on the IV line. 

It was a few more minutes before she could even look anywhere other than his face. When she did she shuddered at everything he was connected to, an IV in his left hand, oxygen tubing in his nose, heart monitor wires snaking out of the top of his gown, a pulse ox sensor on his finger and a few other things she wasn't quite sure about. 

"Leo, wake up." she pleaded softly as she brushed back his hair. 

"Mrs. McGarry?" came a voice from the doorway. 

"Yes," said CJ as she turned around. "Are you Dr. Thomas?" 

"Yes, why don't we go in the hall and talk for a few minutes?" 

"I don't want to leave him," CJ whispered. "I've done enough of that today." 

"And I don't want to talk to you about your husband's condition with him in the room." 

"Fuck you," CJ growled. 

"CJ!" said Toby coming up behind her. He came in the room and grabbed CJ's hand, pulling her into the corner while Dr. Thomas moved closer to the door. "I'll stay here with him, go talk to the doctor, please." 

She nodded slightly. "I'm sorry." she said facing the doctor. 

He nodded. "I understand completely, Mrs. McGarry. Please come into the hallway." He guided her into the hall. "I'm sorry, but my prognosis isn't good." 

CJ exhaled sharply. "Well, so much for softening the blow," she quipped dryly. "What's wrong with him?" 

"He suffered a stroke from a blood clot that formed in the parietal lobe of his brain." She nodded slowly. "It caused a massive disruption of oxygen in the left side of his brain. The side that calculates, controls language functions, etc." 

CJ sat down in the nearest chair, putting her head in her hands. "How soon until we know anything?" 

"A couple of days before we have a better idea of what kind of permanent damage has been done." 

"But you don't expect him to recover, do you?" 

"There are so many degrees of recovery, Mrs. McGarry..." 

"Please, call me CJ." 

"OK, CJ, there are many degrees of recovery. He could be fine physically but not mentally. He could have language problems, memory problems, things like that. Or he could be fine mentally and have some physical problems. Or he could have a combination of lasting effects. It is just too soon to tell." 

She nodded slowly. "Okay. Okay... okay." She inhaled deeply. "This is my fault." 

"How so?" 

"Because I yelled at him. I left him. God, dammit, I... why the hell am I telling YOU this?" 

"Because I'm listening." 

"It's just my fault, okay?" 

"CJ, it's really not. You know him better than anyone. Look at his lifestyle, his stress level, he was a walking time bomb." 

"I suppose. Is that all, I'd like to get back in there." 

"Sure, go ahead. I'll be back in a few hours to check on him. I don't expect him to wake up tonight but feel free to stay with him for as long as you'd like." 

"Thank you." 

He nodded. "It isn't your fault." 

She shrugged and went back into Leo's room. Toby was talking to him about the newest numbers. CJ came up behind him and rubbed his shoulder. "I need to talk to him," she whispered. 

"OK" said Toby as he patted Leo's shoulder and then stood up. "I'm going to get some coffee. You want anything?" 

"Yeah," said CJ, suddenly realizing she hadn't eaten anything since that half of a hot dog earlier. "A sandwich and about a gallon of coffee." 

"You got it." replied Toby as he leaned over and kissed the top of her head. 

"Thanks, Toby." 

"No problem." he left and she leaned over Leo. 

"You think this changes anything, old man?" she teased tearfully. 

She wiped her tears and picked up Leo's hand again. It felt cold so she moved to put his arm under the blankets. 

"Leo, you gotta wake up. I can't make it without you. The kids need you, I need you." 

She bent down and kissed him. "I don't care what happens so long as you come back to me," she whispered, laying her head on the bed. 

Toby came back about an hour later with coffee and an egg salad sandwich. He shook her shoulder gently to wake her. She awoke with a start and sat up quickly, rubbing her eyes. 

"I'm gonna use the bathroom, I'll be right back." she muttered as she slipped her shoes on and headed down the hall. She came back a few minutes later, having splashed some water on her face and run her fingers through her hair. 

"Here, eat this." Toby said unwrapping the sandwich. 

CJ took it and sat back down in the chair. 

She sighed and rubbed her eyes again. "What am I going to do, Toby?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"If he doesn't wake up... what am I going to do? I can't live without him." 

"CJ, don't even think about that. He's too stubborn to go anywhere." said Toby as he reached out to pat her knee. 

"You're right." 

Two days later, she was sitting at his bedside, telling him about what the kids had been up to without them, when he began to wake up. 

"Hey," she whispered, looking down at him. 

He looked confused and whispered, "Jen..ny?" 

She took a deep breath. "No, Leo it's CJ." 

"CJ" he whispered opening his eyes a little more. He seemed to focus and know who she was. 

"Yeah, it's me." 

"Mmmm..." he moaned. "My... hurts." 

"Your what, honey?" 

He looked a little confused. "Don'... know." 

"Okay, honey, just relax." She rang for a nurse. 

The nurse came in, did a quick exam and went to call the doctor. "You can go back in." she said to CJ, "The doctor should be here in a little while." 

CJ went back in and sat on the edge of the bed. Leo pointed to his head. 

"Head hurts?" asked CJ. 

Leo nodded. 

An hour later Leo was napping and CJ was sitting in the chair reading a pile of literature on aphasia, which was, as she learned an impairment of the ability to use or comprehend words. 

Leo woke up later to find her napping uncomfortably in the chair. He suddenly couldn't remember her name, and "hey you", wasn't a good thing to say to anybody. 


	11. McGarry House of Hell 11

**McGarry House of Hell**

**by: Ginny and Becky**

**Pairing(s):** CJ/Leo  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Disclaimer:** The usual, not mine etc.  
**Summary:** Further adventures of the McGarry clan. Sequel to "You Could Drive A Person Crazy"  
**Feedback:** Feedback is appreciated.  


* * *

Part 11 

He coughed a little to try and get her attention. It worked. 

"Hey, how's your head?" 

He thought for a moment. "Better." 

"Good." she said as she sat carefully on the edge of the bed and took his hand in hers. 

He knew her name was two letters, two simple letters. But he couldn't for the life of him remember what they were, or how to ask her to tell him her name. He sighed in frustration. 

"What's wrong, honey?" she whispered, brushing his hair back. 

"Nothing." 

"Leo..." 

Toby appeared in the doorway. "Hey CJ. Leo, you're awake." 

"CJ, CJ." muttered Leo to himself. 

Leo recognized Toby right away but couldn't come up with a name. Toby did his best to brush it off but it was clear that Leo was becoming very frustrated. 

The nurse came in to change the IV and check Leo's vitals. Toby and CJ went into the hall. 

"Did he remember your name?" asked Toby. 

"When he first woke up he said 'Jenny' but when he really opened his eyes and looked at me he knew who I was but just couldn't come up with my name. It's something called aphasia. He's having trouble coming up with the right words. It's like they are on the tip of his tongue but he just can't spit them out. He's getting very frustrated." 

"How's he doing physically?" 

"Not sure yet. The physical therapist will be in later and they will try to determine what effects he has, if any. I expect there will be some but until the actually get him out of bed they really don't know." 

CJ sighed deeply and leaned against the wall. 

"Why don't you go home and get some sleep. I'll stay here. My laptop's in the car, I can write here just as well as in the office. Probably better here with out Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum annoying me." 

"Speaking of Josh, how's he doing taking over for Leo. He hasn't been around." 

"He's busy but he's doing fine. He wants to come visit but I don't think he's up to it yet. I think Donna's going to drag him over here later today. She thinks he needs to see Leo, but he's scared." 

"Yeah, I understand. Just keep an eye on him, please. He's no better than Leo when it comes to taking care of himself." 

"I know, that's what he has Donna for." 

The nurse came out and CJ turned to go back in. "Let me just say goodbye while you go out to your car." 

"OK." 

CJ went into the room, closing the door behind her. "Hey, I'm going to go home and get some sleep. Toby's gonna come back up to keep you company." 

"Toby." Leo repeated slowly. 

"He was just here, remember?" 

Leo nodded. 

"Good, if you need anything Toby'll call me. You want me to bring some pajamas and stuff." 

"Yeah, something with a...a..." said Leo clenching his fists in frustration. 

"A back?" 

"Yeah." 

"Getting kind of cold in that hospital gown?" she teased. 

Leo nodded again. She leaned over to kiss his cheek. She handed him the remote and made sure he could reach the call button. 

"I'll be back in a few hours." 

"Bye...CJ." he said proudly with a big grin. 

She smiled back and kissed him again. "Bye, honey..." she whispered. "Don't give Toby too much trouble, and I'll be back soon, I promise." 

Leo's smile faded and he said, "Try to get some... ah... hell..." 

"Sleep?" she asked. 

"Rest," he finally managed to say. "God, this is... oh, hell." 

"Shh... I know, sweetie," CJ said gently. "It's okay. I love you." 

"I love you, too," he replied, happy that he could say at least that much. 

CJ left the room and waited by the elevator for Toby to return. 

"Hey, he's watching TV, just keep him company." she said as Toby stepped off the elevator. 

"OK, I can do that. You get some sleep. I just talked to Donna, she had to go into the office to talk Josh down from some ledge. So she took the baby with her. She'll keep her until you've gotten some sleep. Ginger and I can watch her tonight if you needs us to." 

"Thanks, for everything." she said as she leaned over to kiss his cheek. 

"You're more than welcome." 

"I'll see you later," she said wearily. "Oh, hell..." 

"What?" 

"I've got to call Mom and Dad -- make sure the kids are okay, and I've got to go to the White House, but I'm sure they won't let me in..." She shook her head. "I need sleep." 

"Go get some rest -- the rest can wait. I'll call your parents. And you can do the White House tomorrow." 

"OK." she said wearily as she pushed the elevator button. "I'll call to see if he needs anything before I head back." 

"Fine. CJ, leave now, please." said Toby with a smirk. 

Four hours later CJ woke up, showered and threw on jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt. She packed up some things for Leo, his pajamas, his bathrobe, his bathroom stuff, photos of the kids and a few books. She made herself a sandwich and ate it while she talked with Toby on the phone. 

"How is he doing?" 

"He's sleeping. And the kids are fine. Running your parents ragged, but they're fine. And Ginger said to tell you she's picking up some formula this morning -- same type, and all." 

"Okay..." CJ sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Did Leo get any sleep at all?" 

"A little. Did you?" 

"A little," she conceded. 

"Good, he fell asleep a few minutes ago. The nurse came by, the physical therapist should be here in about 2 hours. I talked to Josh, he's going to come by after dinner." 

"That's good. How's he doing?" 

"He's ok, sounds tired. Look, I need to head back to the office, you want me to wait until you get back here?" 

"No, if he's asleep don't worry about it. You coming back later?" 

"Yeah, call me after Josh leaves. I don't think he wants a big crowd around when he comes to visit. The President wants to stop by tonight but Abbey convinced him to talk to you first." 

"OK, I'll call him before I leave here. Anything else?" 

"Nope, I'll see you later." 

"Bye." 

"Bye." 

She hung up and reflexively dialed the residence. "Hi, Jack, it's CJ McGarry." She waited for the agent to get Jed or Abbey. 

"CJ, how is he?" Jed asked anxiously. 

"Better... he's awake, sort of. Not at the moment, but, you know what I mean." 

"Yeah -- I was just about to head down to the Oval for a meeting with Nancy McNally and co., but I'd rather talk to you for a few minutes." 

"I'm honored," she laughed, putting little food things that Leo liked in the carry-on bag she had already packed for him. 

"CJ, how is he really?" asked Jed as he got up to pace around the room. 

"He's having trouble recalling words, names..." 

"He doesn't remember you?" 

"No, he remembers me he just can't get it out. He's pretty frustrated." 

"I can imagine. I'm sure Abbey's going to be asking me so what exactly is this called?" 

"Aphasia." 

"Got it. Do you think it would be ok for Abbey and I to stop by later?" 

CJ chuckled a little. "Jed, you're his best friend and the President of the United States, you really don't need to ask." 

"OK, we'll be by after visiting hours if that's alright with you. It's easier on the Secret Service." 

"Whatever is easiest for you. Donna is bringing Josh over after dinner." 

"I heard. He's doing a good job but he refuses to sit in Leo's office." 

"Yeah, I didn't think he would. I'm heading back to the hospital so I'll see you later." 

"Great, give Leo our love. Bye." 

"Bye" 

She hung up and finished the bag, then went out to the car and drove to the hospital. She had just gotten into Leo's room when her cellphone began trilling, startling Leo out of what appeared to have been a sound sleep. He looked around in an almost-panic while she juggled the bag, the cellphone, and the task of trying to comfort Leo. "Hello?" There was a long pause. "Honey, how did you get this number to call me? Okay... you guys having fun? Good... You want to talk to Daddy, Pat... I don't know if that's a good idea right now, sweetie... What? Rose helped you dial the phone... yes, I thought so." She smiled. "I'll call a little later, sweetheart -- She laughed and held up the phone. "He hung up on me, Leo." 

Leo's brow creased. "Who?" 

"That was Pat, honey." 

"He can't dial the thing," Leo muttered, hesitating on the word 'phone', but recovering quickly. 

"Rose helped him." she explained. "I brought some pajamas for you. The therapist will be here in a little while. You can change when they get you out of bed." She glanced at the tray of food on the table. "You weren't hungry?" 

Leo shrugged his shoulders. "Tried to eat, it feels weird when I..." he said pointing to his throat. 

"Swallow?" 

He nodded. 

"I brought some pudding you wanna try that?" 

"Sure" 

She pulled the top off of the pudding and handed him a spoon. He reached out with his right hand, took the spoon and promptly dropped it. 

"Here, you want a little help?" she asked softly as she picked the spoon back up. 

He snorted angrily and turned away when she lifted the spoon to his lips. "I'm not a baby, I can feed myself!" he protested when she tried again. 

"Okay," she said, a little taken aback by his anger. "Want to try with your left hand?" 

He grunted and glared at her. 

"Well, Leo, you can't very well hold it with your right hand, and unless you want me to feed you, you have to use your left," CJ snapped, losing her patience and pushing the bowl at him. "Excuse me a minute, please." She got up and went to the hallway and stood there, taking deep breaths, praying for some kind of superhuman patience to weather this. He was just like a child now. 

She didn't get any superhuman patience but Dr. Thomas and someone who she assumed was the Physical Therapist stepped off the elevator and started towards her. 

"You look very tired," Dr. Thomas commented wryly. "How is he doing?" 

"He's very frustrated," she ground out between clenched teeth. "He, ah, I left him with a bowl of pudding, a spoon, and a non-functioning right hand." 

Dr. Thomas gave her a Look. "What happened?" 

"I tried to feed him and he got stubborn." She shrugged. "You guys will have to deal with him getting stubborner than a mule for the first time. I have to deal with it all the time. I needed air." 

"You need sleep, Mrs. McGarry." 

"That too. I'm going to go get some coffee unless you want me in there." 

"No, I think it would be better if you weren't in the room" said the blond woman who was with Dr. Thomas. "I'm Denise Rappaport, I'll be working with Mr. McGarry." she said as she held out her hand. 

"Nice to meet you. Good luck and for starters you should just call him Leo." 

"Thanks, I'll come find you when we're done." 

CJ nodded. "I'll either be in the cafeteria or outside -- oh, and the President and First Lady will be visiting tonight after visiting hours. Please don't tell Leo. I don't want him putting on a brave face and making himself more upset," CJ sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Okay, I'll either like be in the cafeteria or outside on a bench." 

Dr. Rappaport and Dr. Thomas exchanged glances after she started down the hall, but didn't say a word, merely went into Leo's room. 

"Leo, I'm Dr. Thomas, I'm not sure if you remember me. I was here when you were brought in." He held out his hand to Leo, to see what Leo would do. 

"I don't remember." he said making no effort to take the doctor's hand. 

"That's ok, you were pretty out of it. This is Dr. Rappaport. She's going to examine you, ask you a few things, try and determine just what damage the stroke may have caused. OK?" 

"Whatever. Where's C...Where's my wife?" 

"CJ went to get some coffee. She'll be back in a little while." 

Leo clenched his jaw. "I want my wife," he said. 

"She's getting some coffee," Denise said gently. "She'll be back when we're done. She said you had trouble holding your spoon?" 

Leo sighed and his lips set into a straight line of stubborn displeasure. 

Denise sat next to him and picked up the spoon. "Can you try for me?" 

He grudgingly reached for the spoon, grabbing a hold of it awkwardly but managing to keep it in his grasp for a few seconds. 

"Good. Why don't we forget about you hand for a minute. What else is giving you trouble?" 

"Feels weird when I...sw...swallow." 

"OK," she said taking a glance at his chart, "You had a tube down your throat for a short time when you came in, that could be from that. What else?" 

"I can't get my...my words out." he sighed. 

She nodded. "That's called aphasia, and it's normal, even in regular people. Are you having trouble remembering people or things?" 

Leo shook his head. "I know them, I just can't... name them." 

"Remember their names?" she prompted. 

"Yes." Leo was extremely frustrated, and he was going to shut down and clam up in a minute. 

"Are you having any trouble with your legs?" she asked gently. 

"I want my wife," Leo said stubbornly. 

"I'll go get her," Dr. Thomas said, sensing that Leo wasn't going to cooperate unless CJ was there. So he left the room and went to the cafeteria. No CJ. So he headed outside to the row of benches outside the ER. 

CJ was sitting there with a mug of coffee and a cigarette, lost in a world of thought he wasn't privy to. 

"Mrs. McGarry?" he said. 

She glanced up at him. "Oh, God, don't tell Leo I started smoking again," she muttered, dropping the cigarette and dismally grinding it out with her tennis shoe. "He'll kill me." 

"Don't worry, your nasty secret's safe with me, although I will lecture you about it later." he said with a grin. 

"What's up?" 

"He's asking for you..." 

"And being completely stubborn." said CJ, finishing his thought. 

"Exactly. You ready to come back?" 

"Yeah." 

CJ finished the coffee, ran her hands through her hair, popped a mint in her mouth and followed the doctor back inside. 

"I really don't smoke anymore, except when I get totally stressed out," she said as they headed back upstairs. 

"And this qualifies." 

"Hell, I'm gonna be chain-smoking again soon," she muttered. "Especially when the kids come home..." 

"How many kids?" 

"Four." She laughed mirthlessly. "We're Catholic. And the McGarry form of birth control doesn't seem to work very well." She wrapped her arms around herself protectively, thinking about the baby she had just lost. "Hell," she muttered, sighing. 

"You ok?" 

"Yeah." she said pushing away all thoughts about the baby. For the time being she needed to focus solely on Leo. 

When they got back to the room Leo was sitting on the edge of the bed, grumbling. 

"I need you to try to unbend your knee," Denise said. 

Leo tried, but got frustrated and threw the bowl of pudding at the wall with his good hand. 

"LEO!" CJ shouted, coming up to the bed. "Stop it. Stop it now." 

"We'll just step outside for a minute." said Denise as she and Dr. Thomas left. 

CJ took a seat on the bed next to Leo. 

Leo took a deep breath and tried to turn away but CJ grabbed a hold of his chin and tipped it up to look into his eyes. 

"Leo, they're trying to help. You have to let them. I know you're frustrated but you're only making things worse." 

"I know." he whispered as he tried desperately to keep the tears in his eyes from spilling down his cheeks. 

"It's ok." CJ said softly as she wiped his tears with her thumbs and leaned over to kiss his forehead. "You ready for them to come back in?" 

Leo nodded. 

"I want you to apologize," she said gently. "Okay?" 

He nodded again. 

She went to the door and said, "Okay." The doctors came back in, and she made a 'go ahead' face at Leo. 

"I'm sorry," Leo said. 

"It's perfectly all right," Denise said with a smile. "Let's try this again, okay?" 

Denise worked with Leo for a little while longer. CJ kind of hung back in the corner, taking mental notes and trying to be supportive yet out of the way. 

When they were alone she helped Leo change into his own pajamas. An orderly brought the dinner tray and much to CJ's surprise Leo let her help him. He ate a little and then started to drift off. 

"Why don't you get some rest. Josh and Donna will be by in a little while." said CJ as she pushed the tray table out of the way and pressed the button to lower the head of the bed a bit. 

"OK" 

She smiled and kissed his forehead. "I'm going to go outside for some air, okay?" 

Leo nodded and closed his eyes. He opened them again and grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry." 

She nodded. "Me, too." She kissed his hand, got her purse, and headed outside. 

CJ went outside to call her parents and check in with Ginger. Josh and Donna were coming across the parking lot as she was hanging up after checking on Ari. 

After a little discussion Donna sent Josh up to see Leo alone and she dragged CJ to the cafeteria to get some dinner. 

CJ sighed and regarded her turkey sandwich with disgust. "Okay, the only thing worse than hospital food is plane food." 

"Yeah, but I'm so hungry I don't care," Donna giggled, wolfing her sandwich and chips down. 

CJ smiled a little. "I'm going to have to fly the kids home somewhere along, and I don't know what's going to happen then." 

"Let them stay for a while. Give yourself and Leo some time to adjust. They're fine with your parents, right?" 

"Yeah and Michelle's with them. I'll leave them there until we have a better idea of how things are going to turn out here." 

"Good idea. Do you think I should go up and check on Josh." 

"Nah, I'm sure they are fine." said CJ as she pushed away the sandwich and reached for her chips. 

"Are you okay?" Donna asked softly. 

CJ shrugged. "I'm fine." She sighed. 

"No, you're not," Donna contradicted, leaning closer. "CJ, talk to me, please." 

CJ pushed the bag of chips away, too. "It's just that everyone keeps saying it's not my fault. And I seem to be the only one that knows what a crock of shit that line is." 

"CJ, it's not your fault. And deep down you know that. But you and Leo just have this need to be in control at all times. And when your not, it drives you nuts. You can't control the situation so instead you blame yourself." 

"Let me guess, psychology was one of you many majors?" asked CJ with a grin. 

"Yeah. I figure it will come in handy with Josh." 

"Oh yeah, it sure will." grinned CJ. "We should probably go see how they are doing. 

They rode the elevator up to Leo's floor in silence. CJ pushed open the door quietly and stifled a giggle. Donna stood on her toes to look over CJ's shoulder. Leo and Josh were both asleep. Josh had his head on the edge of the bed, one hand tucked under his head the other one resting on top of Leo's. CNN was on the muted TV and Josh's pager and cellphone were tossed on the tray table. 

Donna chuckled. "I'm gonna wake him up and take him home, okay?" she whispered. 

"Yeah, go ahead," CJ said with a grin. "The POTUSes will be here in a while, so..." 

"Oh, yeah, I'm definitely getting Josh out of here," Donna sighed. "He yelled at the President this afternoon." 

CJ stared at her. "About what?" 

Donna shrugged. 

"Donna, about what?" 

"Honestly, I don't know. He wouldn't talk about it." replied Donna as she gently shook Josh's shoulder. "Honey, wake up. Time to go home." 

Josh woke up a little disoriented as he sat up and rubbed his eyes. He looked over at Leo who was still sleeping. 

"Give me a minute alone." 

"Sure" said Donna as she leaned over to kiss Leo on the cheek. She and CJ went into the hallway just as the agents were making their way to the room. CJ asked them to wait for a minute while Josh was still in Leo's room. 

Josh sat on the edge of the bed and picked up Leo's hand in his. He started to say something a few times but never quite got the words out. Leo was starting to stir and he wanted to leave before he woke up. As his tears started to fall Josh leaned over and kissed Leo on the forehead. Josh stood up, wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and walked out into the hall. 

Twenty minutes later the floor was secure and Jed and Abbey were on their way up. CJ met them at the elevator. Jed and Abbey each hugged her before they headed for Leo's room. 

"Is he awake?" asked Jed. 

"He was starting to stir when the agents made their sweep through the area so he probably is awake by now. Let me just go in first for a minute." 

"Sure" said Abbey as she put her arm around Jed's waist. He was shaking slightly and she rubbed his back to calm him down before he went in. "Jed, take a deep breath please. I don't need you hyperventilating." 

He did as she asked and CJ stuck her head out the door. "He's awake. Come on in." She turned her attention back to Leo, who was sitting up with the newspaper in his lap. "Honey, Jed and Abbey are here to see you." 

"Hey Leo, you look good." said Jed as he patted Leo's shoulder. 

"And you were expecting what?" asked Leo with just a bit too much sarcasm. 

"He didn't mean anything by it Leo." said Abbey as she leaned over to kiss his cheek. 

"Sorry," muttered Leo. "It's been a long day." 

"We won't stay long, we just wanted to check up on you and see how you are doing." said Abbey. 

"Abbey, CJ, could we have a few minutes...uh..." 

"Alone?" asked CJ. 

Leo nodded. 

"Sure. Abbey and I'll just step outside for a minute." 

They walked down the hall to talk, leaving the guys alone. 

"So, Donna told me Josh was yelling at Jed today. What happened?" 

"Josh is adamant about not using Leo's office and Jed was trying to convince him that it would be easier. Jed pushed too hard and Josh got upset. It wasn't any big deal. Jed's not mad; he's just worried about Leo, Josh and the rest of the staff. We all are." 

"OK, I thought maybe it was going to be a thing." 

"Not at all." 

They talked about Leo and the kids for a while until they saw Jed come out of the room and walk towards the couch at the other end of the hallway. Even from down the hall they could tell he was upset. He was pale and shaking as he sat down and put his head in his hands. 

"You go see him, I'll go in with Leo." said CJ as she squeezed Abbey's arm. 

Abbey hurried down the hall and sat next to Jed, rubbing his back. "What happened?" 

"He tried to resign and I wouldn't let him. But that wasn't the worst part. He was trying to yell at me but couldn't get the words out. I sat down on the bed and tried to calm him down and he lashed out even more. He managed to say 'get the hell out' pretty clearly though." laughed Jed bitterly. 

Abbey reached out to tip his chin towards her. She wiped at his eyes and pulled him against her shoulder. "Give him time, sweetie." 

"I feel so helpless." 

"I know. Just imagine how Leo feels." 

"Yeah" he said weakly. "I want to go home." 

"OK, let me just check on CJ, I'll meet you at the car." 

Abbey kissed his cheek and sent him downstairs with his agent. He agent followed her to Leo's room and took his post outside the door while Abbey poked her head in. Leo was on his side, facing the wall. CJ was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking completely frustrated. 

She looked up when Abbey came in the room. Abbey waved her back down when she started to get up. "Call me later." Abbey whispered before leaving. 

CJ yawned loudly. 

"Go home" Leo said. 

"Are you sure?" she asked softly as she reached out to run her fingers through his hair. 

"Yeah." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

A week later CJ entered Leo's hospital room to take him home. He had been bugging the doctor and Denise about letting him out for 3 days. Denise had finally given in, after CJ was able to arrange for speech and physical therapy at home. Leo had come a long way in a week. His arm was considerably stronger. Although he still lacked the fine motor control in his hand to write and pick up small objects he was able to hold the cane that he needed to steady himself. His speech was coming along slowly. He was learning to cope with his limitations and ask for help when he needed it. 

It was Thursday and the kids and Michelle were due back on Monday. Toby and Ginger had generously offered to fly out and help bring them home. CJ knew the real reason was that he wanted CJ parents to meet his new bride. 

So that gave CJ and Leo four days at home, alone, before the troops stormed into the house, once again turning in McGarry House of Hell. 

Leo was standing by the window leaning on his cane when CJ pushed the door to his room open. "Guess I don't have to ask if you're ready to go home?" she teased. 

"No you don't. Get me the hell out of here, please." he said with a big grin. 

She crossed the room and gave him a big hug that was interrupted by Dr. Thomas who came by with some last minute instructions. 

She agreed with everything that the doctor said, and went back to get Leo. "Okay, let's go, honey," she said gently. "Are you sure you don't want a wheelchair? It's a long walk..." 

"I could do it before," he snapped. 

"Leo..." 

He sighed. "Let me try, okay?" 

She hesitated, then nodded. "Okay. But I'm going to be here with you to lean on, okay? And if I think you need a wheelchair, you get one, understand?" 

He grumbled about it, but was secretly grateful. They started very slowly down the hall. Leo's normal shuffled gait was amplified until it was painful to watch him try to lumber along the hall. He made it to the downstairs lobby, then collapsed into a chair. "Wait... a few..." he panted. 

"I'm getting a wheelchair," CJ said gently. "You can't make the last bit, because I'm parked way the hell away." 

He moaned and rolled his eyes. 

Finding a spare wheelchair in a hospital shouldn't have been a difficult task but it turned out that way. 

"Oh, forget it, I'll pull the car around." said CJ. 

"Gee, there's a bright idea." smirked Leo. 

"Knock it off right now Leo." CJ warned him with a grin on her face. 

Half an hour later Leo had managed to navigate the front steps of the townhouse and had collapsed in the recliner, trying to catch his breath. 

CJ had brought some of his things downstairs and put them in the den since he really wasn't suppose to climb the stairs just yet. He had grumbled about that but deep down realized he wasn't ready to tackle the stairs. 

"Here," said CJ handing him a bottle of iced tea. "You need anything else before I go unpack the stuff from the car. 

"No, I'm fine." 

CJ handed him the remote and went back outside to grab the things that were still in the car. As she closed the trunk she took a deep breath realizing that she and Leo would be alone for four days for the first time in...for the first time ever. 

"Hey Leo, you realized this is the longest we've been alone in like, well forever." 

"Yeah. Got any ideas on how we can pass the time?" he asked with a grin. 

CJ just looked at him and smiled. "Besides that, Leo. You're supposed to be recovering." 

"So I'll let you do all the...w..." 

"Work?" she grinned. 

Leo nodded as he stood up slowly. 

"Where do you think you're going?" asked CJ. 

"The bathroom CJ, please don't fuss." 

"You just had a stroke and I'm not supposed to fuss. When can I fuss, when you're dead." CJ muttered to herself. 

"I heard that." called Leo over his shoulder as he reached for the light in the bathroom. 

"Honey, let me help you," CJ said, her voice tinged with worry. 

"Claudia..." Leo growled. 

She sighed. "Fine. Fine, just... let me know if you need help. I'll be in the kitchen, but I know you can bellow with the best of them." 

Leo shut the bathroom door with a little more force than necessary, making CJ sigh. Dr. Thomas and Denise had both talked to her about waiting for him to ask for help and trying not to hover. But she could go gray waiting around for Leo to ask for help. She put the kettle on for tea and started a shopping list while she waited for Leo to get out of the bathroom. She was just about to go check on his when the door opened and he slowly made his way down the hall. 

"What do you want for supper, sweetie?" she called, resisting the urge to ask if he was okay. 

"Food..." 

"Haha, funny man. I'm serious." 

"Well, they changed my thing, so I don't know, CJ -- I don't even know what I can and can't ..." 

"Your diet, honey." 

"I don't know what I can..." 

"Eat." 

"STOP IT!" he shouted. 

CJ exhaled sharply and went into the living room. Leo was standing in front of the picture window staring outside. 

"Leo," she said softly as she put her hand on his shoulder. "I know it must get annoying to have me finish you sentences but I'm having trouble just standing there watching you struggle." 

"I know, just don't be so...so quick to jump in. Give me a minute, ok?" 

She nodded and continued to hang back. "Yeah, okay. Um, your new diet is basically no red meat, very little animal protein at all, lots of vegetables and grains." 

He grunted. "I want a ... a... oh, damn, the cow thing..." 

"Hamburger?" 

"No..." 

"Roast?" 

"NO." 

"Steak?" 

"Steak... yeah. Medium rare, mushroom sauce..." 

She smiled and moved to kiss him on the cheek. "That sounds good, yeah, but how about some garlic green beans and I'll make something with lentils and rice?" 

"Guess I'll have to sneak my steaks with Jed from now on." he grinned as he slowly moved to sit on the couch. 

CJ laughed and turned back towards the kitchen when the tea kettle whistled. "You want tea?" 

"Yeah, thanks." 

Leo drank his tea and watched CNN for a while, eventually falling asleep. CJ covered him up and went to make a few phone calls and finish her shopping list. 

She sighed a while later, having finished her list. She wanted to go get the stuff, but she wasn't sure what to do with Leo. She couldn't very well take him along and make him walk the aisles with her. And there wasn't anyone to take care of him... 

So she made a quick run to the neighbors' and asked them if they could do her shopping, after explaining what was going on. 

The neighbors dropped off the groceries a while later as CJ was wrapping up a phone call with Toby. He and Ginger were at the airport waiting for the weather to clear so they could take off for California. She put away the groceries and went to check on Leo. He was still asleep. 

Wandering around the house CJ realized that she honestly and truly had nothing to do. It was an unfamiliar although pretty nice feeling. She went upstairs and took a nice hot bubble bath and relaxed for what felt like the first time since Jed called her on the plane nearly 2 weeks earlier. Just as she got out and grabbed a towel she heard Leo calling her from downstairs. 

"I just got out of the bathtub, is everything ok?" she yelled down the hall. 

"I'm fine, just wanted to know where you were." 

"OK, I'll be down in a minute." 

CJ threw on some sweatpants and a t-shirt, pulled her hair back and went downstairs. Leo was at the bottom of the stairs, having just come out of the bathroom. 

"You ok?" she asked, a little worried about how tired he looked even after a 3-hour nap. 

"Yeah, just stiff." he sighed as he walked through the living room and into the kitchen. 

"You hungry? I could start dinner." 

"Yeah, I guess." he said without much feeling. 

"Josh called while you were asleep. He said to give him a call if you feel up to it." 

"Maybe I'll call him later." 

"Leo," CJ said as she took him by the hand and sat him down at the table. "He could really use a little guidance and support from you right now. Call him." 

"He could use a little support?" asked Leo growling. "He came to see me twice in the hospital, twice CJ, I was there over a week." 

CJ sighed and put her hands on his shoulders, "Leo, he's scared. He didn't come visit because he was terrified of losing you. And because ever since the shooting the mere thought of setting foot in a hospital scares him to death. He's been thrown into the deep end at work, the election is 10 weeks away and he's trying to do your job and his job. Donna say he's so worried about disappointing you and letting you down that he hasn't had a decent nights sleep in two weeks. Give him a break." 

Leo sighed. "Wow, I had no idea. I'll go call him, see if he wants to come over for a little while later." 

"Good idea. Let me start dinner. It'll be ready in about half an hour." 

"Oh yeah, can hardly wait." smirked Leo. 

She rolled her eyes and clucked her tongue. "Leo, Leo, Leo..." she sighed. "When are you going to remember that I don't suck at cooking anymore? You still like fresh tomatoes, yeah?" 

He nodded. "Just not... squishy." 

"Okay, I'll put some in the rice." 

He nodded. "There's a movie on later." 

"Which one, honey?" 

"Dunno, but there's one on." 

"OK. I'll start and you go call Josh." 

CJ took the tomatoes out of the refrigerator as she heard Leo shuffle down the hall. Half an hour later as she was putting the last of the food on the table he came back down the hall. She couldn't tell by the look on his face how the conversation with Josh had gone. 

"Well, how did it go?" 

"Alright I guess, he's gonna stop by later. I asked him to bring me some stuff to read." 

"Leo, you're not supposed to be worrying about work." she said as she pulled out the chair for him. 

"I'm not worrying about work!" Leo protested. "He's bringing some papers from my office that I was going to bring home for you." 

CJ sighed. "Leo..." 

"I'm telling the truth, CJ. Cross my heart." 

She turned to see him actually cross his heart with his slightly shaking right hand. Smiling and nodding a little she put a plate of food in front of him. "Eat." 

"Yes, ma'am." he grinned as he slowly and deliberately picked up the fork in his right hand. He had spent the first few days after the stroke eating with his left hand but as his right hand gained just a little strength he went back to using it as eating with his left proved to be quite messy. 

CJ tried to watch him without being obvious but she was failing. 

"It's getting better, slowly." he said as he went to stab a piece of tomato. 

"I know, but you've still got a ways to go, honey..." she said with a shaky smile. "That's why I'm trying to make the pieces big..." 

He held up a chunk of tomato. "Well, it's not squishy, I'll say that much." CJ laughed as he popped the tomato in his mouth. 

The rest of dinner was fairly normal. CJ didn't hover and left him alone, even when it was clear his hand was starting to give him problems. And for that he was grateful. When they were done CJ cleared and put the dishes in the dishwasher while Leo flipped through the huge pile of mail that had accumulated over the previous two weeks. 

"Hey, here's a thing for you," he said, tossing it at her. "From... Sarah Jennings?" 

"Oh yeah, she's the one I told you about that was going to send me some stuff on Ari's autism..." 

"Oh," he muttered as he turned all of his attention back to the mail. It didn't take long for CJ to notice he had shut down, again. 

"Leo, what's wrong?" she asked as she stood behind him and ran her fingers through his hair. 

"What are the kids going to think of me when they get home." 

"Well, I'm pretty sure Kate and Ari will just be glad to see you. As for Rose and Pat, well, I explained things the best I could over the phone. And I'm sure Toby will talk to them. It'll be fine. They just want to come home and see you. It's not going to matter that you can't run outside with them." 

"Or color with them, or do anything that requires two functioning hands." he said bitterly as he looked at his right hand in disgust. 

"You can still read to them," she said gently, "and watch TV with them. And just be there when they want to talk. That's all they want, Leo." 

"They also want someone who can... who can..." He grunted in frustration. "I can't read to them. I can't even TALK!" 

"Leo, think about it for a minute. Sure you have trouble with conversation but when you read do you have any trouble?" 

He thought for a moment before picking up a magazine from the pile of mail. He read for a minute and then turned to CJ with a grin. 

"You're right." 

"I usually am, when are you going to start remembering that?" she smirked. 

He laughed, then sobered again. He shrugged and sighed a little. 

"Leo, honey, they love you for who you are, not what you can or can't do. Just like me." 

"I know. I'm gonna go take a shower before Josh gets here." he said as he grabbed his cane and stood up slowly. 

"I'll grab some clothes from upstairs. You ok in the bathroom by yourself?" 

"CJ," he growled. 

"I'm just asking, ok? I'm not fussing, I just don't want to find you sprawled out on the bathroom floor having, ya know, tripped or something." 

"Yeah, okay," he said, giving her a look. "I still think you're... you're..." He paused for a long time, then said, "Help?" 

"Fussing?" 

He nodded. "Fussing." 

"So you won't throw a fit if I happen to step into the bathroom and check on you?" 

"No." he said with a grin as he headed towards the bathroom. 

CJ grabbed some sweats out of his dresser and found his slippers in the bag from the hospital. By the time she made it downstairs the showering was running. She knocked on the door. 

"You can come in." he called. 

"Well, I know, 'cuz I would've come in anyway," she teased. "Need some help?" 

"No, I don't think so..." 

"I'll stay in here in case you do." 

"You can go, CJ." 

She shrugged. "Honey..." 

"Fine, stay." he sighed, not really in the mood to fight. 

After a few more minutes he shut off the water and CJ handed him a towel. She sat on the edge of the counter as he wiped the mirror with his good hand. He ran his right hand over his chin and sighed. 

"Leo, I'd be glad to help you shave." she said gently. 

"Fine." he replied, much to the surprise of both of them. 

She smiled and kissed his cheek. "Though, eventually, you might want to grow a beard to blow the kids' minds," she teased, getting the shaving cream out. 

"Very funny." 

CJ handed him his robe and he slipped it on. They changed places, he sat on the counter and she stood in front of him, between his knees. 

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" he asked with a grin. 

"Yes, but you could hold still and stop talking, that would be a big help." 

He shut up, to her surprise, and she finished quickly. "All done -- you want to wipe your face, hon?" 

He narrowed his eyes and took the towel out of her hands, wiping his face quickly. "I want to go... up the things... and go to bed." 

"Up the things?" she asked in confusion. "Oh, upstairs?" 

Leo nodded. 

"Uh Leo, didn't you invite Josh to stop by?" 

"Yeah, forgot. What time is it?" 

"Almost 8, he should be here any minute. Are you sure you want to try and tackle the stairs tonight. You can sleep in the den. I'll make up the couch for you." 

"I don't know." he sighed "I'll decide later." 

"OK. You want me to make some tea?" 

"Yeah, sounds good." 

She left him in the bathroom to finish getting dressed, and went into the kitchen to make the tea. When the doorbell rang, she let Josh in and sent him to the living room. 

Leo came slowly out of the bathroom, and yelled, "CJ, there's a thing on the thing and it's got a... thing I want to see." 

CJ's brow wrinkled in frustration. "Honey, Josh is here..." she called back. 

"A show on the TV I want to see with a thing," Leo sighed to himself as he went into the living room and sat down beside Josh. "Hey." 

"Hey, Leo. How ya feeling?" 

Leo took a deep breath, "Tired and old." 

"Well, give it time. Here, I brought the stuff you asked for plus some other stuff you might be interested in reading." 

"And what kind of stuff might that be Joshua?" asked CJ as she came into the room with 2 mugs of tea. 

"Just some...some work." he admitted sheepishly. 

"I swear, I didn't tell him to bring it." said Leo. 

"I know. I think we need some rules. Josh, have Donna call me to help me with the rules. She's pretty good at them right?" teased CJ. 

"Oh, God, no rules, CJ, please. I'm begging you." said Leo. 

"I'll think about it. You two behave. Leo did you want me to tape something for you." 

"Yeah...uh, damn, I can't remember." he groaned. 

CJ tossed him the TV Guide and within a minute he had located what he wanted to watch. 

"See you read just fine." she said as she left the room. 


	12. McGarry House of Hell 12

**McGarry House of Hell**

**by: Ginny and Becky**

**Pairing(s):** CJ/Leo  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Disclaimer:** The usual, not mine etc.  
**Summary:** Further adventures of the McGarry clan. Sequel to "You Could Drive A Person Crazy"  
**Feedback:** Feedback is appreciated.  


* * *

Part 12 

He muttered something under his breath, then turned to Josh. "She's been hovering all day," he said quietly. 

"I HEARD THAT!" CJ called down the stairs. 

"And she's got ears like a.... a.... dammit, what are those things?" 

"BAT!" CJ shouted down. "I'm gonna do some laundry -- you want anything washed, honey?" 

"Clothes, maybe?" he called back. 

Josh snorted with laughter and suddenly shut up when CJ appeared in the doorway. "Very funny, Joshujerk." 

CJ walked through the living room and the kitchen towards the laundry room. She started the washer and tossed in the clothes, pausing slightly when she put in the pajamas Leo had worn at the hospital. They had a chocolate pudding stain on the front and a blood stain on the cuff from when they removed the IV. She thought about just throwing them out but in the end stuffed them in the washer with the rest of the clothes. 

When she went through the living room Leo and Josh weren't there. She walked down the hall to the bathroom, pausing at the door to the den. It was open slightly and she could see them on the couch. Leo was curled up in the corner. Josh was at the opposite end with his head against the back of the couch, looking up at the ceiling. Neither looked completely awake but they were still talking. 

"So CJ's been fussing today?" 

"Yeah, it's driving me..." 

"Leo, you had a stroke, you almost died. Don't you think you should cut her some slack." 

Leo laughed. 

"What?" asked Josh, still looking at the ceiling. 

"This whole conversation sounds very familiar. Although the last time we had it you were the one doing the whining about someone fussing over you." 

"Yeah, suppose so." 

CJ smiled to herself and went to the kitchen to straighten a few things before she went to bed. A few minutes later she heard footsteps in the hall, swaggering footsteps, not lumbering ones. 

"Hey CJ. I'm gonna get going. Leo's asleep on the couch in the den." 

"OK. Thanks for coming over. And well, for everything these last few weeks." 

"You're welcome but I didn't exactly do a whole lot, you know." 

"In your own way you did." she said as she crossed the room to kiss him on the cheek. "Now go home to your lovely wife." 

"I will. G'night." 

CJ watched as he drove away before shutting the front door. She went into the den and covered Leo up. Grabbing an extra blanket for herself she curled up in the recliner and fell asleep instantly. 

She didn't wake up until the sun was streaming in the window, and she heard Leo trying to get up. Fighting her drowsiness, she sat up. "Honey?" 

Leo sighed. "Go back to sleep. I just need to pee." 

"Okay, but I'm getting up anyway. What do you want for breakfast?" 

"CJ, you look like you're going to... to... fall over. Go back to sleep." 

"OK" she muttered. 

Leo used the bathroom and made his way slowly down the hall to the kitchen. He poured himself a glass of juice and took it back to the den. With CNN in the background he read the paper and flipped through a few magazines. 

CJ laughed and opened one eye. "I'm supposed to sleep with you making so much noise?" she teased. 

"You used to," he muttered. 

"Yeah, but I was pregnant, and could sleep through..." her voice trailed off. 

"You could sleep through anything," he said softly. "CJ, I know so much has happened in the past few weeks but we can't forget how things were before this happened...are we ok?" 

"We have to be at least a little okay, or I wouldn't be hovering over you," she teased mildly. "We can work on it more, though, right?" 

He nodded. "It's not the end of the world..." 

She smiled. "Mind if I come over there?" she asked softly. He shook his head and she got up and moved to the couch with her blankets and stuff. She snuggled up next to Leo and laid her head on his shoulder. 

They both fell back to sleep until almost 10:00. The therapist was scheduled for a visit at 11:30 so CJ got up and made breakfast while Leo got dressed. He wandered back into the kitchen just as CJ was putting the food on the table. 

He pushed his eggs around for a few minutes and ate a little toast. 

"You ok Leo, you're not eating much?" 

"Fine. Not hungry I guess." 

"OK, you ready for physical therapy?" 

"As ready as I'm going to be, I suppose. I want to go to the office later." 

"Leo," she sighed "You haven't even been home for 24 hours. How about you take it easy today and tomorrow I'll take you over for a little while." 

"But tomorrow's Saturday, things aren't as busy." he all but whined. 

"Exactly." 

Seeing no way to win the argument Leo finished the toast and stood up. "I'm gonna sit out back for a while before the therapist comes." he said as he picked up his tea and grabbed his cane. 

"Put on a jacket." 

Leo just turned to give CJ a look and then pulled his jacket off the hook by the backdoor. 

She sighed. "Leo, look, I'm not trying to..." 

"I know what you're trying to do," he muttered, going outside. 

Shaking her head, CJ cleaned off the table and nearly broke a plate as she dumped it into the sink. "Shit," she mumbled, looking at the chip that had broken off. "Dammit." 

Taking a deep breath, she went to talk to Leo. 

She found him out on the kid's swingset. He was sitting on the barely moving swing. 

"Hey" she said from the patio. 

He looked up and sort of waved his cane at her but didn't say anything. CJ crossed the lawn and took a seat on the end of the slide, stretching her long legs out in front of her. 

"You wanna talk?" she asked quietly. 

Leo shook his head without looking up. 

"Leo, look at me, please." she pleaded softly. 

He looked up at her, eyes full of unshed tears. CJ sighed and stood up in front of him. She took his cane and hung it from the ladder. Leo rested his forehead on the soft cotton of CJ's sweatshirt. Unable to hold it inside any longer, 2 weeks worth of emotions came pouring out in an instant. He wrapped his arms around CJ's waist and hung on for dear life. 

"Oh Leo." she whispered, "It's gonna be ok, we'll get through this.." 

A good ten minutes passed before Leo even lifted his head up. When he did, CJ wiped away the remaining tears and knelt down to kiss him. 

"I love you, you know that right?" she asked softly. 

"I do. And I love you too." 

She nodded. "I know, sweetheart..." She heard the doorbell ring through the open back door. "I'll be right back, okay?" 

He sighed. "CJ..." 

"I promise, Leo -- I'll be right back." 

CJ opened the door to find a couple of Rose's friends looking for her. She told them that she would be back in a few days. Glancing at the clock she saw that the therapist would be arriving any minute. CJ grabbed a few tissues and went out to get Leo. 

"Honey, we need to go inside and get you ready for..." 

Leo groaned. "Dammit, CJ!" 

"We're not doing this again," she said, her voice firm. "You have to have physical therapy -- at least for a while, Leo." 

He growled and crossed his arms stubbornly.

"Leo, do I have to remind you that your agreeing to therapy at home is the main reason the doctor let you leave the hospital?" 

"No." he muttered as he reached for his cane. 

"Do you want me to stick around while he's here?" she asked as she held the door open for him. 

"No, why don't you go and get Ari from Josh and Donna's. I'm sure she's missing us by now." 

"OK. You need anything before I go?" 

He just shook his head as he walked into the kitchen. 

CJ sighed softly in frustration, then grabbed her purse off the kitchen table. "I'll be back," she called, to no response. 

Shaking her head, she went out to the minivan and climbed behind the wheel.

CJ and Ari returned home just as Michael, the therapist was packing up. 

"How did he do?" asked CJ as she dropped her purse and shifted Ari to her other hip. 

"He gave new meaning to the word stubborn." said Michael with a small smile. 

"Oh, God, I'm sorry." 

"Don't be. I'm plenty used to it. I left some exercises he can do on the days I don't come. Don't let him push himself too much." 

"Easier said than done." 

"Exactly. I'll be back on Monday. If you have any questions feel free to call me." 

"Thanks." 

CJ walked Michael to the door and went to find Leo. 

Leo was sitting on the couch, flipping stations on the TV. "Hey," she said. "Look who's here to see her daddy..." 

Leo glanced up and a smile lit his face as Ari stretched her arms out to him and shrieked. It was hard to believe, at that moment, that she wasn't as normal as any of their other children. 

"Come here," Leo ordered gruffly, holding out his arms. CJ handed her over and watched them snuggle on the couch for a minute. 

"I'm gonna go make lunch. You ok with her?" 

"We're fine." said Leo as he put his feet up on the coffee table. 

After lunch CJ got Ari settled down for a nap and convinced Leo to take a hot shower and do the same. He protested for a while but after the shower he was asleep on the couch within minutes. 

CJ glanced over from the TV cabinet, where she had been standing to finish hooking up the DVD player she had gotten for Leo and the kids. With a smile, she headed back to the couch to cover Leo up with one of his blankets. She sat on the coffee table for a minute, watching him. The ringing phone made her jump and she ran to grab it before it woke him up. 

"Damn telemarketers." she muttered to herself as she hung up the phone. 

She headed back into the living room, grabbing the cordless phone on the way so she could get on the line faster to scare away the telemarketers. Leo was still asleep -- or at least he appeared to be -- so she quietly pulled DVDs out of a bag and set them up on a rack that they had for videos. 

"What... what are you doing?" Leo mumbled sleepily. 

CJ stopped and looked over at him guiltily. "Nothing..." 

"Come lie with me," he pleaded.

"OK." said CJ as she put the last of the DVD's on the shelf. 

Leo sat up enough to let her slide onto the end of the couch. He settled himself down with his head in her lap. CJ kicked off her shoes and put her feet on the coffee table. She ran her fingers through his sandy hair as he relaxed and fell back to sleep. 

A little over an hour later she woke up on the couch alone. She heard Leo shuffling down the hallway on his way back from the bathroom. 

"You ok?" she asked as she wiped her eyes. 

"Fine. Can I go to work now?" 

CJ sighed, "I thought we decided that you would stay home today and I would take you over tomorrow for a while." 

"You decided that. I decided I want to go now." 

CJ weighed the option of taking him for a few hours or listening to him complain for the rest of the day. "Fine. When Ari wakes up, we'll go. Two hours, that it." 

"Fine." 

CJ prayed that Ari would sleep at least another hour, but that was shattered when she woke up in tears about half an hour later. CJ got her up, changed her and fed her while Leo got dressed. 

CJ noticed Leo was very quiet on the ride over. "You sure you're ready for this? No one is expecting us, we can turn around and go home if you're not up to it." she said as she reached out to grab his hand. 

"No, I'm ready." 

"Okay," she said quietly. She drove the van up to the gate and opened the door to allow the Service to check things out before waving them on through. They pulled up to the outer awning and left the car there as they headed inside slowly. 

CJ pushed Ari's stroller with one hand and carried Leo's briefcase with the other. She had expected him to protest when she grabbed it out of the van, but he didn't. And that worried her. She let him set the pace down the hall to his office. Since it was Saturday there were not crowds of people around. It wasn't until they were near the Oval Office that anyone paid any particular attention to them. And that was just fine. 

Sam waved from his office, but didn't make a move to join them when CJ shook her head and made a small gesture for him to go back to work. 

"Hi, Leo!" one of the junior staffers called. 

Leo smiled and waved his cane as he turned into his office. CJ led him to the couch and he sat down heavily. She helped him take his coat off. 

The door to the Oval Office swung open. "You thought you could just sneak in here without me noticing?" teased Jed. 

"Not at all. It was a spur of the moment trip." said Leo as he started to stand. 

Jed waved him back down. "So you complained until CJ gave up and drove you over?" 

"Pretty much." admitted Leo with a grin. 

"Completely," CJ muttered. "I'm going to go talk to Simon for a few minutes, okay?" 

Leo nodded and motioned her away. 

"Jed, make sure he doesn't start pulling his usual stunts," CJ said warningly as she scooped up Ari. 

The second CJ shut the door Leo collapsed back into the couch. He sighed heavily and ran his hand down his face. 

"You shouldn't do that Leo." said Jed. 

"Do what?" 

"Pretend you're stronger than you are in front of CJ. That's one of the quickest ways to piss her off." 

"I know." muttered Leo. "So what's been going on here? How's Josh doing?" 

"He's doing great. I've always said he's smarter than you." 

"Very funny." snorted Leo. 

Jed shook his head. "Look, things are going fine. You take your time coming back, okay? CJ doesn't need to be taking care of those four kids of yours all by herself because you went and croaked like a bullfrog." 

Leo's forehead scrunched up. 

"And you wonder why we don't let you write your own speeches?" teased Leo. 

"I'm serious Leo. Take all the time you need." 

"I will. I'm going to work at home next week. Get used to making it through the day without a nap. Then maybe I'll try half days." 

"Your version of a half day or CJ's?" 

"Oh, her's I'm sure." smiled Leo. 

"Good. She's gonna be watching you like a hawk for a while, and power to her." 

"You're sounding awfully chipper." 

Jed shrugged. "I'm winding up." 

"For..." 

Jed sighed. "An attack. I always get more energetic and whatever when I'm starting to get sick. And that is a precursor to..." 

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph -- you don't want me here for..." 

"Leo, you need to recover, okay?" 

Leo just sighed and closed his eyes for a minute. 

"Fine. But you take care of yourself too." 

"We're quite a pair, aren't we?" teased Jed. 

"Yeah." chuckled Leo as he stood up. "Let's go." he said pointing his cane in the direction of the door. 

"Go where?" 

"Anywhere, I don't care, the Mess, the Communications bullpen, whatever. I need to stretch my legs." muttered Leo. 

Jed nodded. "You okay?" 

"I've got my damn cane," Leo muttered. "I'm fine." 

"You don't have to be mean about it," Jed pointed out. "I'm surprised CJ hasn't kicked your ass already, with you in this mood." 

Leo growled. 

"Oh, I'm sure she's thought about it." muttered Leo. 

They walked the Mess and found Toby and Sam in the corner working on a speech. They were, as usual, arguing about Sam's lack of punctuation. 

"I swear, Sam, if you don't use a comma in about one word, I'm gonna kick some serious tail," Toby warned. 

"It's imagery!" 

"It's crap!"

Jed cleared his throat as he and Leo approached. Sam and Toby scrambled to their feet and muttered their greetings. Jed and Leo sat down and the four spent some time catching up on the events of the past few weeks. CJ found them there a while later. 

"Leo, you need to think about starting to pack up whatever you're taking home with you. We're out of here in half an hour." 

Toby started to make some remark about CJ bossing Leo around but Jed silenced him with a quick kick to the shin. 

Leo nodded. "Okay..." He inhaled sharply. "Um... damn." 

"What?" CJ asked worriedly. 

"I can't remember what I call you..." 

"CJ," she said with a smile. 

He gave her a withering look. "I mean, like your pet name." 

"Well, that's sweet, honey, but I'm not repeating it within earshot of these guys."

The Tweedles as well as Jed and Toby looked at her, waiting. 

"No way." she muttered. "Half an hour Leo." she said as she went back to the residence where Ari was with Abbey. 

Leo and Jed started back towards the Oval Office while Sam and Toby went back to their speech. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Six weeks later found Leo pacing the halls of the Residence outside Jed and Abbey's bedroom. He had been back to work full time for two weeks and was doing pretty well. In fact everything was going well, the election was four weeks away and the numbers were good, his life in general was going well, Donna and Ginger were both doing well and loving being pregnant. 

Up until an hour earlier things had been looking up all around. And then Jed stood up to walk from the couch in the Oval Office to his desk. He had taken two steps when he turned to say something to Leo and then started to slump to the floor. Josh and Toby had been quick enough to catch him. Abbey had arrived within minutes. She had been keeping a close eye on him for the past few days. She and Jed both knew an episode was on the way. 

Abbey came out into the hallway. "Leo, you can go home," she said gently. "I'm hoping it's just going to be a mild attack." 

Leo nodded, but didn't move. 

"Leo..." 

"I'm fine." 

"You want me to call CJ and have her drag you away?"

"No, can I go in for a minute?" he asked. 

Abbey was about to tell him no but the terror on his face made her change her mind. "He's probably asleep but go ahead in for a minute. I need to make a few phone calls anyway and I'd rather him not be alone." 

"Thanks." 

Abbey nodded. Leo went in and sat down beside the bed. Jed was, indeed, asleep, but it wasn't a deep restful sleep. Rather, it was shallow and fitful. 

Leo sighed softly and just sat there, watching his friend until Abbey came back in and laid a steadying hand on his shoulder. "CJ says she'd like you to come home soon. Seems that Ari's grown another tooth and is very cranky, Kate is throwing a tantrum, Pat is whining about it being too loud, and Rose is doing her homework." 

Leo chuckled. "Just another day in McGarry's House of Hell..." 

"Yep. You need a driver?" 

"No, my guy's waiting for me downstairs." 

He stood up and grabbed the cane that he just couldn't seem to get rid of, no matter how hard he worked in therapy. He leaned over to kiss Jed's forehead and kissed Abbey on the cheek. "Call me later." he said as he left the room. 

"I will," she said softly, sitting down in the chair Leo had vacated. 

When Leo arrived home, the first thing he noticed was how peaceful and serene the outside of the house looked. Which, of course, belied the complete chaos within its walls. He took a deep breath and pushed open the front door. Pat flew towards him, nearly knocking him over. "Whoa little man, slow down." said Leo as he closed the door behind him and took off his coat. 

"It's too loud in here." said Pat as he grabbed Leo's hand and dragged him through the foyer. 

It was pretty loud. Kate was in the kitchen babbling and Ari was crying in the living room. 

Rose was sitting at the dining room table with Michelle, going over the finer points of multiplication. 

"Where's CJ?" Leo asked Michelle. 

"She went upstairs and locked the door to the bedroom," Michelle sighed.

"Could you grab Ari and try to calm her down?" asked Leo as he moved towards the stairs. 

"Sure." 

Leo made his way up the stairs slowly, pausing to take a deep breath before he knocked on the door. 

"What?" came CJ's muffled voice. 

"Honey, I'm home..." 

There was a long pause, then the sound of the lock grating in it's keep. The door opened slowly. She threw herself back on the bed as he entered the room. "How's Jed?" 

"He was sleeping when I left. CJ it was so scary.." he sighed as he sat down. 

"I know." she murmured as she reached out to rub his back. 

He stiffened for a moment, but relaxed into her touch. "Yeah," he said softly. 

"It's been terrible around here today," she sighed. 

"I can kind of tell." 

"Only kind of?"

He grinned as he flopped back down on the bed. 

"Hey, it's quiet. Think Michelle drugged the kids?" asked CJ. 

"I think they're getting a workout from 'A Bug's Life'," Leo teased. 

"Well, whatever it is, I wish she'd have done it earlier!" They lay on the bed for a little while longer until they decided it was really time to go find something for dinner. 

After a quick dinner of chicken nuggets and fries they got everyone settled down, bathed and ready for bed. 

"Can Daddy tuck us in tonight?" Rose asked CJ as she began to pull the covers up over her daughter. 

"I... guess so, honey," CJ said. "Can I give kisses, though?" 

Rose nodded.

Leo took Pat into Rose's room and read the two of them a story. When Rose was asleep he took Pat and put him in his own bed, kissing him on the forehead and pulling the quilt up around him. 

"Good night, Pat," Leo whispered as he left the room. 

CJ was waiting in the hall outside Ari and Kate's room. "Kate went down like a champ, and Ari's out for a while, too. I think she cried herself out," CJ sighed, rubbing her eyes.

"Why don't you go to bed? I'm going to check in with Abbey and take a hot shower." 

"You ok, Leo?" she asked a little worried about how worn out he looked. 

"Just a headache and I'm a little stiff today. I'll be fine." he said, trying to reassure her. 

"OK, just don't stay up too long. You need some sleep." 

"So do you," he said pointedly. 

"Yeah, but you're the one who runs the country." 

"Don't tell Jed that."

"He already knows it." she said as she leaned over to kiss his cheek. 

Leo went to the kitchen to call Abbey. He dialed the phone and as he waited for her to pick up he put the kettle on for tea. She came on to tell him that Jed was doing pretty well and it looked like it was only a mild attack and she didn't see it keeping him down for more than a day or two. Jed wanted to have a meeting the next morning in the residence with the Senior Staff, Babish and Abbey to discuss what to tell the public. 

Leo hung up the phone just as the kettle whistled. He picked it up and grabbed a mug before reconsidering and putting it back on the stove. He took a quick shower and climbed into bed next to CJ at a little after 10. 

She was already asleep, but when he climbed into bed, she moved to snuggle up against him. 

"I love you," he whispered, kissing the back of her neck, putting his arms around her and closing his eyes.

Just as Abbey had predicted, the episode was a mild one. After the meeting in the residence the following morning the episode was made public with a short statement by Simon, followed by Jed's doctor answering a few questions. 

Things were tense for about a day as they waited for the impact of the episode to make its way to the polling numbers. A little ground was lost but nothing major. And for that they were all relieved. 

Life went back to normal, slowly but surely, and they celebrated birthdays and anniversaries, and the like for the next few weeks. 

And then, it was time to meet Zachariah Michael Ziegler. 

Born 6 weeks early, exactly 48 hours before the first polls opened he was small but healthy. Ginger had had a rough emergency c-section but was doing fairly well given the circumstances. 

CJ left the kids with Michelle and her boyfriend, and went to see Ginger in the hospital. "Hey, babe," CJ said with a grin from the doorway. "Can I come in?" 

"Sure," Ginger replied with a smile, patting the bed. "Have a seat, and let's dish. How're the kids?"

"They're good. Everything is so hectic but we're managing. I'll be glad when the election is over." 

"Yeah. How's Leo?" 

"He's doing well. Still pushing himself a little too hard. Still can't get rid of the cane but I think he secretly likes it. Gives him something to poke people with." smiled CJ. 

The nurse knocked on the door and pushed the baby's bassinet in the room. 

"Mrs. Ziegler, I thought you might like to show Zach to your friend," the nurse said with a smile. "And he's hungry." 

Ginger laughed. "He's always hungry!" 

"Gee, wonder where he could get that from. And exactly how much weight did Toby put you while you were pregnant?" teased CJ. 

"Hey, I heard that." cried Toby from the doorway. "And it was only a few pounds." 

CJ looked at him and laughed as she stood up to give him a hug. 

"I was only kidding," CJ said with a grin. 

"I know, but still..." 

Ginger smirked and poked a finger in his direction. "If Zach had been full-term, I'm SURE people would've been asking when Toby's baby was due!" 

Toby growled. "That joke is getting really old..." 

"Go to the gym, then," CJ said with a giggle. 

"In my spare time?" asked Toby with a grin. 

"I've got to run. Have to stop by the White House and drag my husband home before he collapses" said CJ as she kissed the baby. 

"Let them know I'll be back in an hour or so." said Toby as he sat down on the bed next to Ginger. 

"I will. Bye." said CJ as she turned to leave. She looked back over her shoulder one last time and smiled at the three of them curled up on the bed. 

Surprisingly, when she arrived at the White House, Leo came along without a fuss. In fact, she was astounded that he didn't put up the least little bit of a fight, and she even went so far as to feel his forehead for any sign of a fever before letting him get into the van. 

"I'm fine." he sighed, "Just a little headache and I'm tired." 

"OK, did you eat dinner?" 

"Uh..." 

"Leo." she said in a clearly disappointed voice. "I'll make you something when we get home and then you're getting some sleep." she declared as she pulled out onto the street. 

"OK." he said quietly. 

Thirty six hours later there were on Air Force One enroute to New Hampshire. They brought Rose and Pat along, while Ari and Kate stayed back with Michelle. 

As usual things were chaotic but the kids were having a great time. Pat was getting over a cold and was content to snuggle up with Donna on the plane and let her read to him. Josh hadn't wanted her to make the trip but Donna reminded him that she was 7 months pregnant, not sick. CJ wandered around feeling quite left out of the loop. She sat down in the press cabin for a few minutes and talked to some of the reporters before settling down with a magazine. Rose followed Leo around for a while and eventually went to sit with Sam. 

"Hey what's up, kiddo?" asked Sam as he took off his glasses. 

"I was just wondering something." 

"What?" 

"When are you getting married?" 

"Excuse me," choked Sam. "When am I getting what?" 

"Married, everyone else got married, Aunt Ginger and Uncle Toby, Uncle Josh and Aunt Donna." 

"Well, I hadn't really thought about it much." said Sam with a smile. 

"You should. I don't want you to be lonely." said Rose. 

"I'm not lonely, Rosie. I'm pretty happy actually." he said with a wink. 

"OK. I'm going to find some food." 

Rose slid off the seat and headed towards the back of the plane leaving Sam laughing to himself. 

"What's so funny?" asked Josh, coming down the aisle from the front of the plane. 

"Rose just asked me when I was getting married." 

"Ah." muttered Josh as he collapsed into the seat across from Sam. 

"You ok, you look like hell?" asked Sam as he took in Josh's more haggard that usual appearance. 

"Well, let's review, my wife is 7 months pregnant, we can't agree on the baby's name, we have yet to pick out furniture for the nursery, I have a killer headache and, oh yeah, it's Election Day." said Josh as he stretched out and rubbed his eyes. 

"OK, well, why don't you just close your eyes and hide in here for a little while. You need some Advil?" 

"Nah, already took some." said Josh as he kicked off his shoes and closed his eyes. 

Meanwhile CJ had skimmed through two magazines and was trying to downplay the empty feeling she felt inside. She had had these feelings for a few months now. They increase in proportion with the excitement of the election. While she was enjoying being home with the kids there was this nagging feeling that she wanted to do more. She hadn't shared these feelings with anyone, not even Leo. 

When they got to the farmhouse CJ and the kids unpacked while the staff met in the study for a while going over exit polls and the two speeches. She eventually wandered out onto the front porch and sat in the swing. She was filled with memories of Election Day four years earlier. 

She and Leo had been sitting on the same swing, talking about going public with the fact that he was Rose's father. CJ shook her head in amazement when she thought about all that had happened in four short years. 

Pat wandered out a little while later and climbed up on the swing next to her. She set him in her lap and started the swing with her foot. Pat fell asleep almost instantly. Leo found them there about an hour later. 

"Hey, how are things going in there?" she asked as she stopped the swing with her foot so Leo could sit down. 

"Looks good so far but then again, it's barely noon." he answered, glancing at his watch. "He been asleep long?" 

"About an hour. I don't think he's feeling quite back to normal yet." 

Leo reached out to feel Pat's forehead. "He's cool." he said as he handed CJ his cane and gently took Pat off of her lap to settle him in his own. 

CJ got up and stretched for a minute before sitting on the porch railing with a sigh. 

"Honey, what's wrong?" asked Leo softly. 

"I don't know. Just feeling a little left out, I guess." she said quietly. 

"That's understandable. Thinking about coming back to work?" he asked with a smirk on his face. 

"What would you say if I said 'yes'?" she whispered. 

The smirk left Leo's face immediately, "I'd say we have to make some time to sit down and talk about it." he patted the spot next to him and CJ slipped off the railing and rejoined him on the swing. 

"I don't know. Maybe it is just the excitement of the election that has me rethinking my decision." 

"What ever it is we'll talk about it soon, I promise." said Leo as he kissed her cheek. 

Josh came out a minute later looking for Leo. "The President is looking for you." 

"OK." 

Josh walked back in the front door and Leo handed Pat back to CJ. 

"Do me a favor and check on Rose while you're in there." 

"Sure. I love you honey." whispered Leo as he leaned over to grab his cane. 

"Love you too." 

She watched him limp away slowly and cursed him for letting himself get so run down yet again. 


	13. McGarry House of Hell 13

**McGarry House of Hell**

**by: Ginny and Becky**

**Pairing(s):** CJ/Leo  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Disclaimer:** The usual, not mine etc.  
**Summary:** Further adventures of the McGarry clan. Sequel to "You Could Drive A Person Crazy"  
**Feedback:** Feedback is appreciated.  


* * *

Part 13 

By three in the afternoon the rising level of commotion had slowed a little. Rose and Pat were outside running around and tossing a ball with a Secret Service agent, CJ and Abbey were taking a walk down by the apple orchard. Charlie, Sam and Josh were taking a break by shooting baskets in the driveway. Jed and Leo were in the study, supposedly engaged in some heavy-duty discussion but in actuality they were both half asleep on the couch, getting some much needed rest. 

By six everyone was awake and the level of excitement was rising. The staff had put out enough food for an army, as usual. Rose, Pat, Jed and Josh were well on their way to a collective sugar-high from too many cookies. CJ was trying to settle the kids down and convince them to go watch a video in a quiet room for a while in hopes that they would relax and maybe even fall asleep for a while. That didn't seem too likely as Pat ran screaming through the kitchen with Rose chasing him. 

"OK, that's enough, Rose and Pat, go downstairs to the den and put in a movie." said Leo sternly as he pointed his cane towards the basement stairs. 

They reluctantly did as they were told, arguing about what movie to watch as they went down the stairs. 

That left Josh and Jed bouncing around the kitchen. Abbey sent Jed to the study with Leo and Donna sent Josh outside with Charlie to just get him away from her for a few minutes. 

As the east coast polls closed everyone gathered around the TV in the den. Pat's fever had returned and he wasn't feeling too well. He had curled up in Josh's lap and fallen asleep. Donna was stretched out on the couch, her feet fighting with Pat's little body for space on Josh's lap. Sam was nervously pacing while talking to Toby on the phone. Ginger had tried to convince her husband to go to New Hampshire with everyone but Toby had refused and was currently at home, curled up in his bed with his wife and newborn son. 

Leo was in the overstuffed chair in the corner of the room. CJ was perched on the arm of the chair, her fingers absently running through his hair. Rose was on the floor in front of Leo, leaning back against Leo's legs. She had one eye on the television and the other on the book in her lap. Eventually she wandered out of the room, a little bored. 

CJ's cell phone rang and she fielded a call from Michelle, who was apologizing for having not been able to make it to the polls. "It's okay, really," CJ assured her. "How are the girls?" 

"They're doing fine," Michelle assured her. "How are things up there?" 

"Well, we've finally settled down a little," CJ laughed softly. 

And with those words more good numbers scrolled across the bottom of the TV screen and shouts went up in the room. Pat woke up with a scream and Leo jumped up to take him from Josh. 

"Settled down a little?" teased Michelle. 

"Well, not really I guess." said CJ as she slid off the arm and into Leo's newly vacated chair. 

Rose ran into the room and catapulted into her mother's lap. "Mom, mom, mom!" she shouted. "Who's that?" 

"It's Michelle," CJ sighed. 

"Can I talk to her?" Rose begged, taking the phone out of her mother's hand. "Michelle, Aunt Abbey let me pick apples!" 

CJ motioned for Rose to leave the room so she could talk to Michelle in relative peace and quiet. Leo came back in the room with Pat who had calmed down and was now drinking a juice box and eating crackers. 

Pat climbed up into CJ's lap and snuggled up. "Hey, baby," CJ said softly, kissing his forehead. "You feeling any better?" she asked worriedly, as his fever hadn't gone down. 

Pat shrugged and didn't reply because he was too busy shoving a cracker in his mouth. 

CJ raised an eyebrow and looked at Leo who was scowling at her. 

"What?" 

"Who said you could have my chair?" he asked. 

"Finders' keepers, and you left," CJ pointed out. 

Leo glanced around the room looking for a place to sit. Finding nothing that looked very comfortable he leaned over and kissed CJ's cheek. 

"I'm just going to go outside for a few minutes. Stretch my legs, get some air." 

"You want company?" 

"Nah, I'm fine." 

"OK, put on a coat." 

Leo rolled his eyes at her and went upstairs to grab his coat. 

CJ smiled and waved him out the door as he came back down the stairs. Donna was on his heels, and she came into the den to sit on the arm of the couch. "You handle him so well!" Donna sighed. "I wish I could do that with Josh..." 

"I don't handle Leo at all," CJ said. "I just tell him what he WILL do, and, well, some of the time, he does it." 

"You two do know that I'm not sleeping, right?" came Josh's voice from the couch. "And Donna, you handle me just fine." he said with a smile. 

Donna moved from the arm of the couch to sit on Josh's lap. Josh, being Josh, let out a groan as she sat down in his lap. She smacked him on the back of the head as his arms went around her belly and held her tight. 

CJ smiled and held Pat a little closer. "Mommy, you're sqiashing me." 

"Was that squishing or squashing?" CJ asked with a grin. 

"BOTH!" 

"Okay, okay," Cj chuckled as she let go of Pat, who slid off her lap in search of either Uncle Jed or Aunt Abbey. 

CJ got up and went outside to see Leo sitting on the porch swing and rocking slowly. "Hey, mind if I join you?" she asked softly. 

He shook his head and stopped the swing with his cane. CJ sat down and took his hand in hers. 

"You ok? You've been really quiet all day." she asked. 

"I'm ok. Feeling pretty old and tired these last few weeks." 

"Leo, that's pretty understandable." she said trying to reassure him. 

"It's more than that. If Jed wins it's another 4 years in DC. I'm not sure that I'm...don't know if I can..." he trailed off, clearly have trouble getting the words out. 

"Leo, stop and take a deep breath." said CJ softly as she turned sideways on the swing to face him. 

He took a few deeps breaths and got his thoughts together. 

"I'm not sure that I can do this for another four years." 

She nodded slowly. "Okay," was all she said. 

"I mean, I love it, I got him here, but... I can't do it again." 

"I understand, honey." 

"Okay." 

CJ put her arm around Leo's shoulders and pulled him close. She took quick inventory of the current situation; she was thinking about going back to work and Leo was thinking about stopping. She had a mental image of Leo standing in the middle of the kitchen with a dishcloth and a spatula as she came in the front door of their house dressed in a suit and carrying a briefcase. She chuckled softly to herself. 

"What?" 

"Nothing, I'll tell you later." She glanced at her watch. "We should get back in there. Let's see what happens before we make any decisions. Deal?" 

"Deal." agreed Leo with a tired smile. 

She smirked at him. "Just out of curiosity, since you've never let me see the bankbook... How rich are you?" 

He returned the little smile. "Enough so that neither of us HAS to work another day of our lives, and we still leave each of our kids a nice nest egg of their own." 

"OK" she said with a grin as she held out her hand to pull him to his feet. 

They wandered into the kitchen to grab some drinks and found Rose playing Gameboy with Sam at the counter. 

"Be careful Sam, she cheats." teased Leo. 

"Dad, you can't cheat, it's electronic." said Rose in her 'parents are so stupid' voice that she had perfected over the previous year. 

CJ grabbed some iced tea out of the fridge and wandered back down to the den. Donna had fallen asleep with her head in Josh's lap. Pat was in the recliner with Jed and Abbey was taking a turn pacing around the room. 

CJ smirked at Abbey. "Nerves getting to you, girlfriend?" 

"Oh hush -- your husband isn't the one who may or may not be President again!" Abbey snapped, going back to her frenetic pacing. 

CJ blinked. "Ah, okay..." 

Abbey stopped short and looked at CJ. "Sorry, I'm just..." 

"Having a nutty?" 

"Yeah." said Abbey with a grin. 

A few hours later, as it neared midnight everyone was awake and gathered around the television in the den, eyes glued to MSNBC. 

CJ bit her lip and closed her eyes, praying. Praying for what, she didn't know. 

"With 42% of the vote, and 89% of the polls tallied, we are ready to call this election for..." 

"BARTLET BABY!" Donna shouted. 

"SHUT UP!" everyone yelled at her. 

"JOSIAH BARTLET" said MSNBC's news anchor. 

Pandemonium broke out in the house. The stereo was turned on, the phones started ringing. People we hugging, kissing, dancing and screaming. Tears of joy were falling as the noise from the celebration spilled out into the crisp night air. 

Rose grabbed Uncle Jed and Pat and started doing a circle dance with them, letting Josh, Sam, and Abbey join them as they tripped around the room, laughing hysterically. 

CJ moved to sit by Leo, who was on the couch, completely silent. The only sign he was pleased was the smile on his face. "Hey, big winner," she teased with a grin, kissing him softly on the lips. 

He ended the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. "What am I going to do?" he asked softly. 

"For the moment, celebrate with everyone else. In a few days, you and Jed are going to sit down and talk. But for now, go with the flow." 

"OK" he said standing up slowly to cross the room and congratulate Jed. 

CJ smiled sadly as she watched the party going on, knowing this could be the last one of these she ever attended. 

Donna literally bounced over. "Hey you!" she cried. "Get up and dance to the music, baby!" 

CJ laughed and shook her head. "No thanks, Donna," she shouted over the din. 

"Party pooper!" Donna danced off. 

Two hours later Jed had made his acceptance speech, made his phone calls, and was sitting at the counter in the kitchen drinking a cup of tea. He was, amazingly alone. CJ stopped in the doorway. 

"You wanted to see me?" 

"Yeah, you want some tea?" 

"Sure." 

"CJ, what's wrong with Leo?" he asked, too weary to beat around the bush. 

"He's tired, that's all," CJ lied. 

"Don't lie to me, CJ. I know something's going on -- what?" 

"Sir, it's not my place to tell you." 

"It's not your place, as his wife, to tell me something?" 

"No, sir. It's not." 

"CJ, stop with the 'sir' crap. It's me, Jed. What is wrong?" 

"OK, he's having doubts about his ability to continue at this pace for another 4 years." 

"Aren't we all?" asked Jed with a small smile. 

"Probably, but he's serious. Talk to him." 

"I will. And don't worry. I won't tell him you mentioned anything." 

"Thanks, si...thanks Jed." she said as she leaned over and kissed his cheek. 

Jed smiled. "Leo told me you're getting restless again." 

CJ shrugged. "Well... can you blame me? I thought it was the right choice to resign, but then again, now I'm stuck in a house full of kids. Whinefest every day. It's..." She shuddered. "And, well, I feel like I need to have something to take my mind off of other things." 

"I think the three of us need to sit down and talk." said Jed with a grin. 

"Yeah. Soon, but for now, I'm going to wake Leo up and drag him off of whatever couch he's snoring on and take him to bed." 

"Good, idea, I'll see you in the morning." 

She kissed him on the cheek again and smiled. "Thanks. For everything, Jed." 

"No problem." 

She went and gathered her children first, to put them to bed, then she woke Leo up to take him to bed. They got cat calls and wolf whistles as they headed up the stairs, much to CJ's chagrin. 

Leo smiled at her once they were in their room and lying in bed. "They honestly thought we were gonna come up here and have victory sex?" 

"They're young," she giggled. 

"Yeah." Leo muttered as he undressed and crawled into bed in his boxers and t-shirt. 

CJ had gone to check on Pat one last time. By the time she got back to the bedroom, Leo was snoring. She chuckled to herself and crawled in next to him. 

Three hours later Pat's seal barking cough woke CJ in an instant. She grabbed him, stumbled into the bathroom and turned the shower on as hot as it would go. She sat down on the floor with her back against the tub, cradling Pat in her arms. 

"You know, Leo Patrick McGarry, now's really not the best time for the croup." she said as she kissed his forehead. 

"I'm sorry, Mommy." whispered Pat. 

"It's not your fault honey. Just relax and take a deep breath." 

A few minutes later there was a soft knock at the door. "Someone call for a doctor?" asked Abbey as she poked her head in. 

"Come on in, join the party." said CJ wearily. 

"Here, I brought juice, Vicks and my stethoscope." said Abbey as she handed Pat a juice box and took a seat on the floor next to them. "Pat sweetie, sit up a little so I can listen to your lungs." said Abbey as she felt his forehead. "He's pretty warm. Let me take a listen and I'll get the thermometer." 

"He's been sick off and on all week," CJ sighed, kissing Pat's forehead. "Poor baby," she whispered. 

Pat whined and cuddled up closer to his mother, not wanting Aunt Abbey to mess with him. 

"Pat, honey, let Aunt Abbey listen for just a second, ok?" 

Pat reluctantly agreed and sat up. 

"Pat, sweetie, take your thumb out of your mouth and take a deep breath for me" said Abbey gently. 

He cooperated for a minute, long enough to let Abbey get a good listen. 

Pat cuddled up to CJ again and whimpered before coughing again. "Mommmmmyyyy..." he croaked. 

"Shh..." CJ whispered. 

Abbey put the stethoscope on the counter and hunted for the thermometer. "I think the ear one is upstairs. I'll be right back." 

Abbey returned a minute later with the ear thermometer. Pat whimpered as she put it in. 

"How bad?" asked CJ as she took it out. 

"103.9," Abbey sighed. 

"Oh man," CJ groaned. 

"I think we need to make a drive to the hospital," Abbey said softly. 

"Great. Just great," CJ muttered. 

Just then Leo and Jed knocked on the door. 

"Everything ok?" asked Leo. 

"Well, your son has a fever of almost 104 so CJ and I are going to take a little ride over to the emergency room." said Abbey as she stood up. 

Leo came all the way into the room and sat down on the edge of the tub. 

"I'm going to throw on some clothes, call the hospital and talk to the agents." said Abbey as she led Jed out of the room. 

"You want me to go with you?" asked Leo. 

"No, you stay here. Abbey and I will be fine." said CJ as she stood up slowly with Pat in her arms. 

"Let me sit down and hold him so you can get ready." offered Leo. 

"Thanks." 

CJ went into the other room and changed into sweats and pulled her hair back from her face, then threw clothes into a bag for Pat. When she got back into the bathroom, Pat was croaking on Leo's chest, his face pressed into Leo's chest as he coughed. "Come on, munchkin man," CJ said, trying to pull Pat away. 

"WANT DADDY!" Pat cried, coughing. 

"OK, little man, but you have to come with me for a minute while Daddy gets some clothes on." 

Pat reluctantly let CJ take him while Leo went to change. 

The trip to the hospital was thankfully short. They were expected so there was no long wait in the waiting room. 

They were hurried into a private room, and the doctors began treating Pat. A while later, CJ had to leave the room. She went to get some coffee, and Leo followed her slowly. 

"What a night," CJ muttered. 

"Yeah, it sure is." said Leo as he reached for her coffee. 

Abbey found them a few minutes later. "The doctor's done. He wants to talk to the two of you." 

"Is it that bad?" CJ sighed, blinking tiredly. 

"CJ..." Abbey said, giving her a "kill me" look. 

"Is it?" asked Leo. 

"No, it's not. Come on, I'll go with you." 

They met with the doctor in the hall just outside Pat's room. Bottom line was Pat had a raging ear infection, high fever and a nasty case of the croup. He was on antibiotics, steroids, IV fluids and oxygen. The doctor wanted to keep him overnight, at the very least. But he assured CJ and Leo that Pat would be up and running around within a few days. 

Leo and CJ took all of this information in quietly and then pushed the door opened to Pat's room. CJ was fine but Leo gasped loudly when he saw Pat. He looked so small and pale on the big hospital bed. He had an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose and a pulse ox monitor on his finger. CJ squeezed Leo's hand and they walked over to the bed. 

Pat's lips moved, but no sound came out. "Shhh, sweetie," CJ whispered. "Daddy and I are here." She kissed him on the forehead and gestured for Leo to get over it and get by the bed. 

He did and pulled up a chair. Leo held his hand and Pat reached up to try and pull the mask off of his face. 

"No, Pat leave that alone. It'll make you feel better." said CJ as she straightened out the oxygen mask. 

Pat wrinkled his nose and coughed. 

"Close your eyes, honey," CJ said. 

Pat whined. 

"CJ, why don't you go for a walk. Let me talk to Pat for a minute." 

"Oh, and you're going to give him lessons on being a model patient?" she asked with a grin. 

"Shaddup." he said, sticking his tongue out at her. 

CJ kissed Pat and went out to find Abbey. An hour later she returned, having sent Abbey and the agents back to the farmhouse. She quietly pushed the door opened and smiled. Leo had pushed the recliner in the room next to the bed and was sitting back in it with Pat resting against his chest; wires, oxygen, monitors and all. They were both sound asleep. 

"My guys," CJ whispered, dropping them both a kiss on the cheek. She moved to take the plastic chair in the corner and dropped off into a fitful sleep. 

When CJ awoke to the sun in her eyes Leo wasn't in the recliner and Pat was back in bed. She wiped her eyes and went over to the bed. She pressed a kiss to Pat's forehead. Still warm, but not burning up. Leo came in a minute later with coffee and bagels. 

"He still asleep?" 

"Yeah, he's still warm but not nearly as hot as last night." said CJ as she took the top off of the coffee and gently blew on it. 

"You okay, honey?" Leo asked worriedly. 

She nodded. "Thank goodness we have good health insurance," she quipped wryly, taking a sip of her coffee. 

"Still think we need a live in doctor?" 

"Oh yeah." said CJ as the doctor knocked on the door. 

"How is he this morning?" asked Dr. Stewart. 

"Still sleeping but he feels cooler. He slept pretty well last night." said CJ as she put down the coffee and walked around to the other side of the bed. 

Dr. Stewart pulled the covers down a little and took a quick listen to Pat's lungs. He took his temperature too. "Down to 100.6, that's good." 

Pat started to stir and pull at the O2 mask again. The doctor slipped it off. "We'll watch the monitor for a little while, if he keeps his level up we can lose this thing." he said, waving the mask in the air. 

"Good," CJ said softly. "Hey, baby..." 

"Want Daddy!" Pat croaked. 

"I feel so abandoned," CJ muttered, moving so Leo could take her place. CJ went to use the bathroom and to call over to the farmhouse. 

Pat's O2 level stayed up and he ate a little breakfast. Dr. Stewart cleared him to be released just as soon as his temperature returned to normal. 

CJ came back in with Josh, Sam, and Donna. Josh had made many protests about Donna coming to visit Pat while he was sick, but Donna told him where to stick it. 

By afternoon Pat's temperature had stayed down for almost two hours and he was released with antibiotics, ear drops, and steroids to keep his little lungs clear. 

When they got back to the farmhouse Josh took him down to the den to entertain him for a while so CJ and Leo could catch a few hours of sleep before they all needed to be at the airport for the flight back to DC. 

CJ collapsed onto the bed and was asleep before her head even hit the pillow. Leo followed suit, but he was awake long enough to cuddle up with her. 

When she woke up, she got up and went to the bathroom. 

After a quick shower CJ packed up their stuff and went to check on Pat. She found him downstairs with Josh and Rose. They were all stretched out on the couch watching Toy Story 2. 

"You guys ready to go home?" CJ asked softly. "I think Kate and Ari miss us..." 

"I wanna go home," Pat whined. "Want to tell Kate that Uncle Jed's President 'gain." 

"OK, why don't I give you a bath before we leave for the plane?" 

"With bubbles?" 

"Sure. Rose can you go wake Daddy up and tell him it's time to start to get ready to go home." 

"Sure." said Rose as she hopped off the couch. 

"Wake him nicely." yelled CJ as Rose disappeared up the stairs. 

A few minutes later, CJ had Pat in the bathtub, and Leo came in. "Nice of you to let Rose wake me up," he muttered, leaning very heavily on his cane. 

"What happened?" 

"I fell out of bed." 

CJ tried to hold back a laugh but failed miserably. 

"You won't think it's so funny when I break a hip or something." muttered Leo as closed the toilet and sat down. 

"Poor baby," she giggled, holding up a handful of bubbles and blowing them his direction. 

"Yeah, right -- I have a doctor's visit tomorrow, you know... He's supposed to give me clearance to... you know." 

CJ giggled. 

"I'm glad you find this funny, Claudia Jean." smirked Leo. 

"Mom, I can't find my sneakers." called Rose from the hallway. 

"Go, I'll get him out and dressed." said Leo. 

Two hours later they were all strapped into their seats on 'Force One', heading back home. 

Three hours after take-off, they were waiting for the limo to take them home. They walked in the front door, to the sound of Kate yelling, and Ari giggling, as Michelle played peek-a-boo with them both. 

Pat flew into Michelle's arms and kissed her soundly before kissing his baby sister's hand. 

Rose sat down with Kate while CJ and Leo dragged the luggage to the stairs. 

One by one the kids started to fall asleep. CJ settled Ari down while Michelle took Pat and Rose upstairs. Leo got Kate settled in her bed and then went to get himself ready for bed. 

By 11:00 the house was quiet except for Pat's still harsh breathing and Leo's snores. 

CJ got up with the kids and got Rose and Kate ready for school the next morning while she let Leo get some much needed rest. She woke him at nine and made him a real breakfast while he hopped in the shower. Pat was still asleep and she planned on letting him sleep as long as he wanted. 

By 10:30 Leo was walking into his office. 

Leo sat down and yelled for Margaret. 

"Blood pressure, Leo," she reminded him sagely. 

"Whatever. Look, I need you to type this up for me." He handed her a note he had scribbled out with CJ's help at breakfast. 

Margaret read over it quickly, and looked up at him, shocked. "You're resigning?" 

"Yes." 

"What about me?" 

"You're still my secretary -- I can carry you wherever." 

"Yeah, but you have CJ." 

"And four kids, Margaret. Get real." 

Margaret started for the door and then stopped, turned back and sat down on the couch. 

"What?" asked Leo wearily as he started to wade through the piles on his desk. 

"Leo, I've worked for you for more years than I can remember, we've been together through more crap than anyone deserves and now you're resigning without an explanation. What's wrong? Are you sick?" 

Leo sighed and sat down in the chair by the couch. "I'm not sick, exactly..." 

"Go on..." urged Margaret, impatiently. 

"I just can't keep up this pace anymore. And I don't want to become a burden. I don't want to have to have Jed make a decision about letting me go. That's not fair to him." 

"You aren't a burden. You run this country. He signs the crap and all, but you keep it going." She sighed. "Does he know?" 

"No." 

"You're gonna kill him. Who is he going to get to chief of staff it?" 

"I don't know." 

"What about CJ. How does she feel about all this?" 

"She wants what's best for me. And the funny part is, she's thinking about coming back." 

"So you're going to be.." 

"Please don't say it." said Leo holding up his hand. 

Margaret grinned and then said it anyway, "Mr. Mom." 

"Twit." 

"Yeah. I still can't believe this, though. You're sure?" 

"Inauguration, no longer," Leo sighed. "Go. Type the damn thing, already, please." 

"Okay... You know, CJ could be the Chief of Staff, and you could be her inactive back-up..." 

"SHUT UP." 

Margaret wisely left the room before Leo started throwing things. She typed the letter as Leo called Charlie to get some time alone with Jed. 

They were going to meet in an hour. 

That gave Leo an hour to think about his replacement. Margaret's suggestion was pretty silly but it wasn't like CJ could just come back and get her old job back. Simon was doing well in the position. Leo knew that Josh was the best person to replace him. Knowing Donna would be on maternity leave soon he would give Margaret the option of staying and working with Josh or coming with him to do..whatever. 

That still left CJ with no place to go. 

"The President wants to see you," Margaret said quietly. 

"Show time," Leo muttered, getting up slowly and leaning on his cane heavily as he walked into the Oval Office. 


	14. McGarry House of Hell 14

**McGarry House of Hell**

**by: Ginny and Becky**

**Pairing(s):** CJ/Leo  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Disclaimer:** The usual, not mine etc.  
**Summary:** Further adventures of the McGarry clan. Sequel to "You Could Drive A Person Crazy"  
**Feedback:** Feedback is appreciated.  


* * *

Part 14 

Jed was signing a few papers for Charlie when Leo got into the room. He motioned for Leo to take a seat on the couch. Leo sat with a little groan and fidgeted with his cane while Jed and Charlie argued about what Jed was getting for lunch. Charlie eventually threw his hands in the air and walked out with a grin. 

Jed sat on the other couch, across from Leo. "What's up?" 

Leo took a deep breath as he pulled the letter out of his jacket pocket. He held it out to Jed, who just stared at it. 

"What's this?" Jed asked, even though deep down, he knew what it was. 

Leo just looked at him with a sad smile on his face. Jed took the envelope and walked to the desk to find his glasses. He paced around the room, reading. 

Leo sat in silence, waiting for the inevitable explosion, and was stunned when it never came. 

"Getting old," Jed teased, sitting down beside him. 

"Yeah. And having four young children running around is gonna kill me." 

"Mr. Mom." 

"Shut up." 

"Yeah, well... what does CJ think about this?" 

"She's happy I'm planning on taking it easier than I had been." 

"And what are her plans?" 

"I think she's ready to come back to work but I'm not sure in what capacity." 

"You thought about your replacement?" 

"I think Josh is ready. How do you feel about that?" 

"He's ready. He did a good job while you were out. Is Margaret going to stay on?" 

"That's up to her. Josh'll need someone when Donna has the baby. She can stay in my office or come with me. I'm sure I can find something for her to do. But that still leaves CJ. Any ideas?" 

"Deputy Chief of Staff," was all Jed said. 

"Jed..." 

"I'm serious. She can get the job done, and I'm sure she's sick of working the press." 

"I don't know. I'll talk to her tonight. If it's ok with you I want to gather the Senior Staff and make my announcement now. Simon can announce it at his final briefing this afternoon." 

"You sure you don't want to tell Josh first?" asked Jed. 

Leo thought for a minute and took a deep breath. "Yeah, let me have lunch with him and we'll meet around 2. Does that work?" 

Jed glanced at the schedule on his desk. "Looks fine." 

Leo nodded. "You don't seem surprised." 

"Nope." 

"Why not?" 

"Because I already knew." 

"CJ told you didn't she?" 

"She mentioned you were worried about not having the stamina to make it another 4 years. But I knew before then. I've known you for over 40 years Leo. You can't hide anything from me." said Jed as he put his hand on Leo's shoulder. 

Leo smiled a little and nodded. "Yeah. But I have tried." 

"And failed," Jed pointed out with a grin. "So, y'know, make your last days memorable and kick some major ass for me, will ya?" 

"I will, sir." said Leo quietly as he headed for his office. 

Closing the door behind him he slipped off his jacket and sat back down at his desk. 

"Margaret." he bellowed. 

She poked her head in. "You ok?" 

Leo nodded. "I need to have lunch with Josh. Make reservations somewhere decent and out of the way." 

"No problem, 12:30 ok?" 

"Sure and until then nobody gets in here. And I mean it this time." he said with a grin. 

"It really went ok?" Margaret asked as she started back towards her desk. 

"It went fine." 

Margaret nodded. "Okay. I'll call CJ and let her know..." 

"No." Leo looked up at Margaret. "Don't. Because Josh and I have to discuss a thing." 

"Oh." 

"Margaret, please," pleaded Leo. "I can't tell you anymore. I'll take you to the Mess for pie and coffee later if you just promise to leave me alone for a little while." he said with a smirk. 

"Deal." she said returning the smile and heading to her desk to call Josh. 

An hour later Josh and Leo stepped out onto Pennsylvania Ave. 

"So what's up?" asked Josh as he buttoned his coat. 

"What does something have to be up?" asked Leo. 

"Well, you rarely even stop for lunch and now all of the sudden the two of us are going out, alone." 

Leo sighed. "I guess you all just know me too well." 

"Did CJ make you take lunch and you just decided to torture me?" 

"No." 

"Ah." 

"Josh, how would you like to be the new Chief of Staff?" 

"I didn't know we were getting rid of the old one." 

"After Inauguration." 

"Damn." 

They walked in silence for a block or two. Until Jed, Josh was totally shocked by Leo's announcement and needed a few minutes to digest the information. 

"Are you sure?" asked Josh. 

"About leaving or about you taking over?" 

"Both, actually." 

"Yeah. I just can't keep up the pace anymore, physically or mentally. And as for the other thing, of course I'm sure. You're ready. The President thinks you are too." 

"What about my position. Who gets that?" 

"Well, the President had an interesting idea about that." 

"Oh please, tell me Donna isn't moving up from Deputy, Deputy status." teased Josh with a groan. 

Leo laughed. "If she weren't about to have a baby I'm sure the President would have considered her." laughed Leo. "What about CJ?" 

Josh snorted. "CJ?" 

"Don't be that way. She wants to come back to work, and you KNOW you don't want Simon in that position." 

"Yeah." 

"So, why not consider it?" 

"Could she handle it, though?" 

"I think she could. it might take a while to get back into the swing of things, but she has you, and Toby, and me to prod things along." 

"She's too used to calling the President Jed, though." 

"She can get out of that mindset easily enough." 

"I suppose." said Josh as he stopped at the curb to wait for the light to change. Suddenly not in the mood to sit down and eat he turned to Leo. "You wanna forget the restaurant? Grab a hot dog and walk for a while. I'm restless all of the sudden." 

"Josh, you're restless all the time." Leo pointed out with a grin. "Sure, just remember, we're not walking very fast." said Leo as he hit Josh in the shin with his cane. 

"OUCH!" Josh exclaimed, laughing. "Man... who'd've thought..." 

"Hey, no morbidity. I want to leave, Josh. I can't keep up anymore." 

"Yeah, but... why do things have to change?" 

"Because we're not children anymore." 

"Things changed when I was a kid too." said Josh quietly. 

Leo stopped suddenly and grabbed Josh's arm. "I'm sorry." 

Josh just shrugged his shoulders, "Don't worry about it." 

They walked in silence for a few more blocks, eventually stopping for hot dogs and soda. 

"So what exactly are you going to do with your time? Oh no, you're going to become..." 

"Don't say it." said Leo, loud enough to get the attention of about a dozen people around them. 

"Mr. Mom." whispered Josh as he took a bite of his hot dog. 

Leo flinched. "Dammit, would everyone stop saying that?" he muttered, taking a bite of his hot dog. "Needs more mustard." 

"Well, we say it because, well, you're gonna be home with the kids." 

"Pat and Ari, most of the time, and Michelle will be there, anyway. So..." 

"Yeah." 

"Oh God, I'm gonna be Mr. Mom aren't I?" muttered Leo. Josh wisely decided to just nod and go back to eating his hotdog. 

When Leo got back to the office he had barely 10 minutes before he had to meet with the rest of the Senior Staff in the Oval Office. He stopped by Margaret's desk for his messages and he stood still long enough for her to straighten his tie and wipe the mustard off of his face. 

"So.... what's going on?" she asked softly. 

"Nothing much. Gonna tell the staff." 

"Ah..." 

"Margaret, you know that..." 

"Hey, it's okay." She smiled and patted his tie down. "You going to offer CJ the position?" 

"How did you..." 

"I have my ear to the floor, man." 

"Whatever." he said with a grin. "You and I need to talk. When I'm done in there we can go to the Mess. I believe I owe you pie and coffee." 

"Jeez, Leo, you owe me more than that but it'll have to be a start." said Margaret with a smirk as she steered him in the direction of his office. "Good luck." 

"Thanks." he muttered over his shoulder. 

An hour or so later, the meeting adjourned, and Leo went back to his office to call CJ. 

"Margaret, give me fifteen minutes, and we'll do pie and coffee," he called as he dialed the house number. 

"McGarry residence," CJ said. 

"Hey, it's me." 

"I know." 

"What did I do now?" 

"Nothing." 

"Then why were you being so formal?" 

"I wasn't. I always answer the phone like that... what's up?" 

"Josh is taking my place, and we're offering the deputy position to someone we think can handle it." 

"Really? Who?" 

"I'll tell you later -- can you come by with some dinner? I have a late meeting with a guy." 

"Yeah, no problem. What time?" 

"An hour?" 

"No problem. I'll bring Ari and Pat." 

"Okay." 

He hung up the phone and went to get Margaret. They walked to the Mess in silence. Margaret grabbed a corner table while Leo got pie and coffee. 

"Here," he said as he handed her a slice of pecan pie and a mug of coffee. 

"Thanks, no pie for you?" she asked. 

"No, CJ's bringing Pat and Ari for dinner in about an hour. Here's the deal, Josh is going to take over for me. Donna's going out on maternity leave at Christmas. Josh would be glad to have you stay on with him but he also understands if you want to leave. The President and I are going to offer CJ Josh's job." 

"Do you think she'll take it?" 

"I honestly don't know." 

"How much time do I have until you need an answer. And if I go with you exactly what will I be doing. I don't do diapers Leo." she teased. 

"Margaret, we have a nanny." 

"Yeah." 

"You'd answer the phone, do the mail... Secretary stuff." He smiled. "I'd still pay you the same, even if you're not doing as much, or if you're only working a couple of days a week." 

"And what, the rest of the time, I'm gonna be bored outta my head?" 

"I don't know." 

"What if CJ wants me?" 

"In what capacity?" Leo said automatically. 

"Secretary, Leo! Jeez, you're a pervert today!" 

"Nah, just... I dunno. Tired." 

"If CJ takes the job, can I work with her?" 

"If that's what the two of you want. That's fine with me. Josh can hire someone new. He should probably start looking now since it'll take a while for Donna to break somebody in." 

Margaret laughed as she put down her coffee cup. She reached across the table and grabbed Leo's hand. "I'm gonna miss you." she said softly. 

Leo squeezed her hand. "Not so fast, you still have 10 more weeks of me left." 

"Yeah, well... you know." She shrugged and smiled. "Let's get back up there. You want CJ to know something's going on?" 

"No." 

"Okay." She smirked. "Same old, same old, and I'll take the kids for a bit." 

"Nah, turn 'em loose in the President's office." 

"I'll take the baby. Pat, I'll let loose in the Oval." said Margaret with a smile. 

"Deal." 

The walked back to the office slowly. By the late afternoon Leo slowed down considerably. Despite therapy he still wasn't able to get rid of the cane and the truth was, he doubted he would ever be able to lose it all together. 

CJ and Ari were waiting on the couch. Pat's giggles could be heard coming from the direction of the Oval Office. Margaret took Ari by the hand and let her take a few wobbly steps out into the hallway on the way to visit Josh and Donna. 

CJ took off her coat and sat down on the couch. 

"So what's up. Did you give Jed the letter?" 

"Yep. He wasn't exactly surprised." 

"Oh, look I'm sorry. He caught me on election night and I...." 

Leo pressed a finger to her lips. "Don't worrry about it. He knew it was coming even before you said anything." 

"Oh. Is it common knowledge now?" 

"Simon's briefing now. I'm going to make a statement tomorrow. Josh and I went to lunch and I told him then. The rest found out this afternoon. Josh is moving moving up. He's ready, even if he's not too sure about it." 

"Is Margaret going to stay here in your office." 

"Well, she's not sure yet. I made her an offer to come with me and do, whatever. Or she can stay and work for Josh when Donna has the baby or she can work for you." he said. 

"Me?" 

"Yeah, Jed and I had this great idea. How would you like to be Deputy..." 

"Whoa, wait a second. I've been Press Secretary, I'm not looking to be Simon's Deputy..." 

"Not Simon's Deputy, Josh's." 

CJ just stared at him as if he had grown and extra head. 

"Claudia Jean, please say something." 

"Are you guys smoking something hallucinogenic?" she asked. "Because, if you are, it's not fair that you're keeping it to yourselves." 

"Very funny. I'm serious." 

"Me. The Deputy Chief of Staff?" 

"Yeah." 

"You're crazy. You're all completely insane." 

"Yeah, but you love us anyway." 

"You want me to..." 

"Yeah. I do. Josh does. Jed does." 

She licked her lips and bit her lower lip in contemplation. "But that would make you Mr. Mom, and we'd never see each other, and..." 

"And you would be working again. And you'd be happy." Leo smiled. "Think about it, okay?" 

"I don't have to. I'll take it!" 

She let out a little shriek and threw her arms around Leo, kissing him. Jed poked his head in the doorway. 

"Hey, I take it she accepted." he asked with a grin. 

"Yes, I did." said CJ, "Thank you for your confidence in me, Jed. I mean, sir." laughed CJ. 

"See, Leo, she's trainable," Jed joked. 

"Yeah," Leo replied with a smile, kissing CJ back. "You're sure, honey?" 

"If you're sure you want to be Mr. Mom," she said softly. 

Leo took a deep breath, "I'm sure." 

Josh peeked his head in the door. "Is it done?" 

"It's done." said Leo with a grin. 

"Congratulations, Claudia Jean" said Josh as he crossed the room to give her a hug. 

"Thanks," she giggled. "Wow, I always just thought, you know, I'd come back and displace Simon again, but... this? Wow." 

"Yeah, well, we know you can handle it. Leo, you wanna call Sam and Toby in here? We wanna introduce my replacement!" 

Toby and Sam came in the room and looked around, a little confused. 

"Where is he, she, whatever?" asked Sam. 

CJ giggled hysterically. "You guys are so dumb!" 

"Its CJ," Josh said. 

"CJ?!" 

"Yes, CJ." said Leo. 

Toby blinked a few times and then came to his senses, moving to hug her. 

"What's the matter Toby. Not too sure?" she whispered in his ear. 

Toby just stuttered a bit and then kissed her cheek. 

She grinned at him. "And I can boss you around now, and keep YOU out of the loop." 

"Hey!" 

"Turnabout is fair play," CJ said with a tight smirk. "When do I start?" 

"After I retire, woman!" Leo yelped. "Trying to push me outta work already..."

"No, I just want to be ready." 

"How about we ease into things after Thanksgiving and then you can start full time after Christmas?" said Leo. 

"Sounds good." 

"Good." Leo smiled. "I still can't believe we're doing this." 

"Yeah, well, I'm so sick of being a homebody I'd've jumped to be your secretary!" CJ said. "And speaking of secretaries... I'll take Margaret if she'll have me." 

"Yes." screamed Margaret from the hallway. 

The room erupted into giggles. Margaret came into the room with Ari and Pat, who had caught up with her at Donna's desk a few minutes earlier. 

"Was that a 'yes, I'll take the job' or a 'yes, I need to be saved from the children'?" Cj teased, scooping up Arianna and kissing her, despite the baby's squirming and annoyed vocal protests. 

"I'll take the job and you can have your daughter back. She's very opinionated, like her father." said Margaret with a smirk. 

"Very funny." 

"Mommy, I'm hungry." said Pat as he pulled on her shirt sleeve. 

"Oh, God, Pat, dinner, I'm sorry." said CJ as she took a quick glance at her watch. 

"He can have some of mine," Leo volunteered. "What did you bring?" 

"Chicken, rice pilaf, and the asparagus in lemon you like," CJ said. "Pat, honey, you want some of daddy's supper?" 

"Yeah!" Pat crowed, running over to jump in Leo's lap. 

Leo groaned as Pat landed. He opened up the bag CJ had brought with her as the rest of the group filed out slowly. Finally it was just the four of them. Ari was content to cruise around the room holding onto the furniture and eat a pretzel rod. CJ called to check on Michelle and the girls while Leo and Pat ate at the desk. 

Pat held up a couple of pieces of asparagus and said, "I'm a walrus, daddy!" 

"Leo Patrick, stop playing with your food," CJ scolded. 

"But mommy..." Pat whined. 

"Pat, listen to your mother." said Leo as he glanced at his watch. "I have to go in ten minutes, I have a meeting, uh, somewhere with somebody," he muttered as he searched his desk for his planner. "Margaret" he bellowed. 

"Meeting's in the Mural Room, Secretary of Agriculture." she yelled back. 

"Thank you." 

CJ grinned at him. "I'm soooo gonna enjoy stealing her from you." 

"Yeah, well... I'll be back, okay?" 

"We'll be home by the time you get out of there," CJ said, kissing Leo on the cheek. "Come on munchkins..." 

Leo kissed the kids and grabbed the file Margaret held out to him as he passed by her desk. 

"After him, I'll be a piece of cake." teased CJ as she waved goodbye to Margaret. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

The Monday after Thanksgiving found CJ standing in front of her closet in her underwear trying to decide what to wear. 

"CJ, honey, you're going back to work at the White House. Everyone knows you, you're not trying to make a good first impression, just pick out a suit." teased Leo from the bed. 

He had already scaled back his hours and didn't usually go in until 9:00. Josh was beginning to run the Senior Staff meetings and Donna was busy breaking in a new assistant for him. A blond, blue eyed, eager Georgetown graduate named Louis. At first Josh balked at the idea of a male assistant but Louis proved himself to be both valuable and thick-skinned. He was a quick learner and much to Josh's delight didn't mind grabbing Josh a cup of coffee each morning. Donna had tried to talk him out of it to no avail. She gave up the fight when Louis started to get her a cup of tea each morning when he got coffee for Josh. 

CJ finally decided on a gray pantsuit and a pale pink blouse. 

"Are you getting up soon?" she asked as she glared at Leo's lounging form in the mirror. 

He rolled over to look at the clock, it was a little after 6:00. "Yeah, in about 20 minutes." he said as he rolled back over and pulled up the comforter. 

Five minutes later Pat burst into the room and drove onto the bed, hitting Leo square in the kidneys with his little head. 

"Owwww. I'm up, I'm up." said Leo as CJ burst out laughing. 

"Sorry, Daddy." giggled Pat as he crawled under the covers with Leo. 

CJ finished dressing, kissed them both and headed downstairs. 

Rose was already up at the table, munching on Cap'n Crunch and tossing down shot glasses of milk. Kate was strapped into her chair and was playing with a bowl of cereal, but as soon as she saw her mother, she started eating correctly, spoon and all. And Michelle was feeding Ari some cereal and fresh banana. They all looked happy and content. 

"Coffee's ready." said Michelle as she put the rest of the banana on Ari's tray and put the bowl in the sink. She sat back down in front of Kate to give her a little help. 

"Thanks, but I think I'll just get some at work. Oh, who am I kidding, pour me a cup. You have my numbers and everything?" asked CJ as she checked her briefcase for the third time since packing it the previous afternoon. 

"CJ, calm down. We've done this before, remember, it wasn't that long ago." teased Michelle. 

"Uh, yeah..." CJ said, licking her lips. She went around, kissing kids and downed her coffee quickly. "Okay, well... I'll... I'll call and make sure things are okay later..." 

"CJ, relax," Leo said, coming down the stairs, holding Pat's hand. "Everything is going to be fine." 

She took a deep breath. "I know. I'll see you in a couple of hours." 

CJ bent down to kiss Pat and then straightened up to kiss Leo. With a quick glance back over her shoulder she closed the front door behind her. 

Leo got breakfast for himself and Pat while Michelle dressed Kate and helped Rose gather her things for school. 

Half and hour later, Kate's bus driver was beeping the horn out front. Leo took her out and got her settled before going back in and taking a shower. Michelle and the two little ones had walked Rose to school and were then going to the store for a few things. 

Leo savored the hour he had in the house, all alone. He shaved, dressed, flipped through the paper, watched MSNBC and had another cup of coffee before leaving for the office a little before nine. 

CJ was neck-deep in a meeting with the Assistant Secretary of the Interior when Leo arrived, and she excused herself for a moment for air and to mime strangling her husband. "Why the hell didn't you tell me this shit?!" she asked, grabbing a cup of coffee. 

"Because." 

"Yeah, yeah, okay, whatever." She rolled her eyes and went back in.

Leo laughed and went back to what he had been reading when she had come in the room. He had long lunch with Josh in his office. They went over a bunch of things. He felt bad about not having time to eat with CJ on her first day back, but as it turned out Jed asked her to eat with him. 

It was late afternoon before Leo really saw her again. He was resting on his couch, pretending to read a file when she knocked on the door. 

"Come in." he called. 

"Hey, can I hide in here for a minute." 

"Sure." he replied as he curled his legs up to give her room at the end of the couch. "Things get any better since this morning?" 


	15. McGarry House of Hell 15

**McGarry House of Hell**

**by: Ginny and Becky**

**Pairing(s):** CJ/Leo  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Disclaimer:** The usual, not mine etc.  
**Summary:** Further adventures of the McGarry clan. Sequel to "You Could Drive A Person Crazy"  
**Feedback:** Feedback is appreciated.  


* * *

Part 15 

"Yeah, but I've got a senator on my ass about something I have no control over and he's not taking no for an answer." 

"He's on your ass? Hopefully not literally, because if he is, I'll beat him to death with my cane." 

"Leo, I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself." she reminded him as she slipped off her shoes and stretched her legs out in front of her. 

Margaret poked her head in a few minutes later. "Phone." 

"Who is it?" asked Leo. 

"Senator Harris, but it's not for you." she said looking at CJ. 

"I'll take it, uh...in here I guess." she said, still a little unsure of where to go. She was basically running back and forth between Leo's office and Josh's office for the next week or so until Leo packed up and Josh moved over. 

Margaret put him through, and Leo was flinching as CJ started screaming at the man in words not very becoming to a lady after a few pleasant assurances. By the time she hung up, she looked worn and old. "It's fixed," she mumbled. 

"Good, because if we'd've lost him, I think I might have had to fire you for your lack of people skills," Leo quipped. 

They had another 5 minutes of peace and quiet until Josh came looking for CJ and Jed was calling for Leo. 

By 6:00 Leo was yawning and Jed was threatening to have the Secret Service escort him out of the building. 

Leo went home to an overjoyed family, and CJ didn't get home until almost ten-thirty. She dropped into bed without even taking off her jacket or shoes. 

Leo followed her upstairs after he had turned out the lights and set the coffee maker for the next morning. He managed to pull off CJ's shoes and pull the covers up without waking her. He was feeling a bit stiff so he grabbed a book and went to take a hot bath. CJ wandered in a while later to pry her contacts out of her eyes and grab her pajamas off the back of the door. 

"I have to be in early," she mumbled, fumbling with her contacts. "We've got a thing... with the... um... oh hell, I can't even remember now." 

"It's a tour/lecture with the Boys and Girls Club." 

"Yeah. That thing." 

She slipped off her clothes and somehow pulled on her pajamas without falling over. Perching on the edge of the tub she brushed back Leo's hair and smiled at him. "You ok?" 

"Yeah, just a little stiff. Go back to sleep. I'll be there in a little while." 

"Kay." she muttered as she leaned over to kiss him. 

By the end of the week things had calmed down a little in the West Wing. Logistics were working out. Josh had moved into Leo's office, taking over the desk, leaving Leo the table to work at. The truth was he didn't have whole lot of actual things to work on. He wasn't taking on any additional tasks and was mainly there as a consultant, hall monitor and a mentor for Josh. And he was enjoying it immensely. It gave him time to eat regularly, put his feet up once in a while, answer personal email and phone calls, and to wander around the West Wing under the guise of therapy for his leg. In actuality he was just enjoying the day to day things he had never seen before. Things that went on everyday but he had always been too busy to notice. 

And he stopped frequently in CJ's doorway to watch her work. You couldn't wipe the smile off of his face as he did this. He truly adored his wife in every way, and he was so happy she had seen something in him that no one else had. 

As Christmas approached Leo was spending less and less time in the office. He had offered to do the Christmas shopping for CJ and after she picked herself off the floor in a fit of giggles she pulled her shopping list out of the desk and told him to have fun. 

So it was on a Friday morning in the middle of December that Leo found himself alone at Toys R Us. Rose, Kate and Pat were at school and Ari had a cold so she was home with Michelle. 

Leo was wandering around, trying to find something called "Tickle Me Elmo", and stumbled on the Barbie doll that Rose wanted. It wasn't on the list, but he threw it into the cart anyway. 

By the time the cart was full he was in desperate need of a couple of Advil and the nearest Starbuck's. He loaded the bags into the car and walked down the street to buy a magazine, get a cup of coffee and relax for a few minutes. 

He picked up a copy of PARENTS, figuring that, since he was becoming a full-time parent, he might as well get some advice about it. 

And he went into Starbucks, getting the biggest cappuccino he could. He got many stares -- here's an old guy sitting there, reading PARENTS -- but he shook them off as best he could. 

An hour later he had finished the coffee, found a chicken recipe that looked easy enough to make for dinner and learned how to make slime. 

He stopped at the food store to pick up some things he needed for the chicken recipe, namely chicken. He tossed a package of diapers in the cart since they always needed diapers. As he passed the juice aisle he remembered he had used the last of the juice boxes for Pat's school snack. He grabbed four packs, smiling to himself as he realized they were on sale. 

CJ got home early, and found everyone sitting around the dining room table, eating their chicken and rice. 

"Well, we look happy tonight," CJ said with a smile. "Is there anything left for me?" 

Michelle laughed. "Leo made enough to feed an army!" 

"OK, so I wasn't too good with judging how much to make, but you have to agree it's good." he said defending his domestic abilities. 

"It's good, Daddy." said Pat around a mouthful of food. 

"Pat, don't talk with your mouth full." said Rose in her best 'mother' voice. 

"OK, settle down." said CJ as she grabbed herself a plate and sat down next to Leo. 

CJ sat down with a plateful of food and took a hesitant bite. "Hey, it is good -- where did you get this recipe?" she asked around another mouthful. 

"Mommy!" Rose whined in exasperation. 

"Parents magazine, actually," Leo said, blushing. 

"You read Parents magazine?" asked CJ with a smirked. 

"Not only did I read it, I read it in Starbuck's. I had to live through a dozen little old ladies snickering at me while I read." 

"And what the hell were a bunch of little old ladies doing in Starbucks anyway?" CJ asked. "It's a yuppy coffee joint... not that we're yuppies, because, well, you're too old..." 

"CJ!" 

The entire room dissolved into a fit of giggles, the baby included. 

"I was at Starbuck's trying to regain some of the energy I lost running that errand this morning. Remind me to never go to that particular store again." he muttered under his breath. 

"Poor baby." said CJ as she turned her attention back to her food. 

"I don't know how you do it..." 

She grinned. "Leo, what do you think the internet is for?" 

"AH -- I knew you had some sneaky way of doing it..." 

"Yeah, but that would involve you knowing how to do more on the computer than email and play solitaire. Maybe Rose could help you out." teased CJ. 

"Very funny. Learning how to use the computer is on my list of things to do." 

"You made a list?" asked CJ with her eyebrows raised. 

"Yeah -- learning to use the computer and learning how to cook and change diapers are very high on the list." 

"Ah..." 

"Ah what?" 

"You don't know how to change diapers?" 

"Not really." 

"You've had five children, and you don't know how to..." 

"Shut up." 

"Hey, Toby can come over and teach you." teased CJ. 

"Very funny. I think I can figure out the diaper thing on my own but I think I'll ask Donna to help me with the computer after the baby's born. I figure if she can teach Josh, she can teach anybody." said Leo with a grin. 

"So what else is on this list?" asked CJ as the kids got down from the table and scattered to different corners of the house. 

"Make more time for the little things. Remind myself how precious our children are every day..." 

"Stop or I'm gonna cry," CJ protested. "Not that I'm not gonna cry anyway, but, you get the picture..." 

Leo laughed as he dug his handkerchief out of his pocket. "Here, just in case you need it." he teased. "You want some coffee?" 

"Yeah, I'm just gonna run upstairs to change. I'll be right back." 

"Just don't fall asleep with your shoes on the bed again," Leo insisted with a grin. 

"Yeah yeah yeah," CJ giggled, trudging up the steps. 

By the time CJ talked to the kids and got back downstairs, Leo was asleep on the couch. She giggled and kissed his forehead before settling down in the recliner with a stack of files that needed her attention. 

As the weeks went by things became calmer in some ways and more hectic in others. Work calmed down for CJ and became more hectic for Leo. He was just about out of the day to day loop but he had taken on more responsibility for some of the inauguration stuff, well, because he had the time. It kept him busy and he was enjoying it. At home he fell into the Mr. Mom role faster than anyone had ever imagined. Diaper changing became something he could do in his sleep. He finished the Christmas shopping by December 20th and had everything wrapped by the 22nd, thanks to some help from a very pregnant Donna. 

The afternoon of the 24th found the whole family aboard Air Force One on their way to New Hampshire. Leo had wanted to spend the holiday and Ari's birthday at home but Jed had insisted and the kids begged to go. So in the end Leo lost out. 

"Daddy, can I have some M&Ms?" Pat wheedled. "I want M&Ms!" 

"Ask mommy," Leo said. 

"But she's busy with Uncle Jed..." Pat whined. 

"Dad!" Rose bellowed, running up. "Can I have some peanuts?" 

Leo took a deep breath, "Fine, just sit down somewhere while you eat them." he said as he turned to see Kate grinning at him. "Oh, I guess you want something too." he said, returning her smile. "Rose, bring some pretzels for your sister." 

"Yeah, Dad." she called over her shoulder as she and Pat took off in search of some snacks. 

Abbey came and sat down across from Leo. "You cave in way too easily, old man," she teased. 

"Well, at least they're not wanting to blow up the world or something," Leo muttered. 

Ari started to squirm in her seat and Leo leaned over to take her out. 

"I'll get her. You look like you could use a few minutes to yourself." said Abbey as she picked up Ari. "We'll just go for a walk." 

"OK, thanks." 

"By the way, the cook is making a Clifford the Big Red Dog cake for Ari's birthday tomorrow." 

"That's nice," muttered Leo as he put the seat back and closed his eyes. 

Abbey chuckled as she walked away. A few minutes later, Leo heard a voice say, "Dadada?" so he opened one eye. 

"What, Katie?" he asked. 

She didn't reply, as he'd expected, and he figured she was just wanting him to pay a little attention to her. 

His precious few minutes of peace and quiet were shattered when Pat and Rose barreled back into the compartment with their snacks and drinks. Leo opened the pretzels for Kate and the juice box for Pat. By the time they were done their snacks the plane was starting its descent and Leo strapped everyone in for the landing. 

CJ walked back into the alcove and took her seat next to Leo. "Where's Ari?" she asked. 

"Abbey has her -- she should be back in a minute..." Leo said, pulling Pat's seatbelt a little tighter. 

"I heard my name," Abbey said with a grin, coming up. "And I have brought your precious bundle number four back to be strapped in." 

"Thanks, Abs," Leo said as Abbey handed Ari to CJ. 

An hour later the group descended upon the farmhouse. It was lunchtime and Leo got the kids settled in the kitchen while CJ unpacked their things. By the time CJ had unpacked everything and made sure the Christmas presents were hidden Leo had fed the kids, gotten Ari down for a nap and settled Kate and Pat in the den with a movie. CJ found him sitting at the kitchen counter drinking tea and eating cookies. 

"Hey, where's Rose?" 

"In the study with Jed. I think he's quizzing her on American History. You want a sandwich?" 

"Sure, thanks." 

"What kind?" 

"Whatever," Cj said with a smile. "What's the house special today?" 

"Turkey and swiss on rye..." 

"Sounds good." 

"I'll go make it, then," Leo said. 

He made the sandwich while CJ finished his tea and flipped through a magazine she found on the kitchen table. 

"Are we actually going to brave Midnight Mass with the four kids?" asked Leo as he set the plate in front of her and moved to refilled his tea cup. 

"I think we'll take Rose and Pat, but we'll leave Kate and Arianna with... someone." CJ looked up at him. "Thanks..." 

"No problem, sweetheart," Leo said, sitting down. "You had to drink my tea, didn't you?" 

"It was expected, wasn't it?" 

"Yeah..." 

"So don't complain." 

"OK." said Leo as he tried to stifle a yawn. 

"Why don't you go rest for a while. The kid are occupied and I have some things I need to go over with Jed." 

"Yeah, I am kind of tired. A little stiff from sitting on the plane too. Don't let me sleep too long." he said as he grabbed his cane and started down the hallway. 

CJ watched him with a sad smile on her face. It was hard to believe how much he had aged in the past year. He had all but given up on getting rid of the cane for good. But, his speech and language difficulties were almost all gone. They only came out when he was really tired. 

"Love you, honey," she called after him. 

He stopped and turned back to smile at her. "I know. And I love you, too, sweetheart." 

"Get some real sleep, okay?" 

"Only if you do the same." 

"Can't -- I'll get indigestion," she said with a grin. "But I'll be up after my food's settled some." 

That plan of CJ's failed when Ari decided that half an hour was enough time for a nap and Pat wanted to go outside and play in the snow. 

She got Rose, Pat and Ari bundled up to go outside and play in the front yard while Abbey spent some time with Kate. Jed was supposedly reading in the study but he was actually snoring away on the couch. 

Leo had fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. 

CJ took the kids out for a few minutes of snow time, and she laughed as Ari decided she wanted to sit on the snow-covered steps and play with the cold, wet snow. Rose and Pat immediately hurled themselves into drifts and made snow angels. 

It didn't take long for Ari to get cold and CJ took her inside to warm up. Rose and Pat we still outside, under the watchful eyes of a pair of Secret Service agents. CJ took Ari in the den and set her up with some toys. Kate and Abbey were already in there. Abbey had painted Kate's nails and was about to braid her blond hair. 

"Hey, the other two still outside?" asked Abbey as she reached for the hairbrush. 

"Yeah and I guess Leo's still asleep." 

"Yeah -- he needs it, though..." Abbey looked up and smiled. "He's glad to be spending more time with the kids, though." 

CJ nodded and sat down, putting Ari on her lap to unbundle her. "I'm glad he's there, actually... No offence to Michelle, but I want at least one of us there to take care of the kids."

"I'm pretty sure she's not offended." said Abbey with a grin. "She still thinking about moving out and just working a few hours a day?" 

"Yeah. After the inauguration she's going to cut down on her hours. Leo will still need some backup but he's determined to do most of the day to day stuff himself." 

"Well, that should keep him busy. And I think that's something he's really going to need. It's going to be big adjustment for him." 

"Yeah, tell me about it. Been there, done that." said CJ with a grin. 

"Yeah, and you decided you didn't want it that way anymore, yeah?" Abbey teased. 

"I reserved the right to change my mind. I kind of went insane, you know..." 

"Baby blues is what we used to call it," Abbey said with a grin. "Can you hand me the ribbon?" 

"I just don't think I was cut out to be a stay at home mom. Hell, there was a time I thought I wasn't cut out to be a mom at all." said CJ as she handed Abbey the ribbon. 

Ari reached out to try and grab the other ribbon from the arm of the couch. "No, sweetie," said CJ as she took it away from her. "You don't have enough hair." teased CJ as she ran her fingers through Ari's reddish hair. 

Abbey laughed. "I got her a present," she said. "She can have it early -- it's in the workbag on the other side of the couch." 

CJ picked Ari up and went fishing in the workbag until she came up with one of those baby springy headbands. 

"So she wouldn't feel left out," Abbey said with a smile. 

CJ laughed as she pulled Ari into her arms. Ari took the headband and played with it with great interest for about a minute and a half. CJ brushed her hair and put slipped it on, making a big fuss over her. CJ carried her over to the antique mirror that hung over the rocker so she could see her reflection. Ari giggled and pointed at her reflection for a minute before squirming to be let down. 

"So how's she been doing?" asked Abbey as she finished up Kate's hair. 

"She's doing well. She's still not big on too much touching but she's getting better. Not as much screaming, thank God." said CJ with a sigh. 

"Oh, I can only imagine what it was like for you and Leo, and I cringe in horror every time I even try to think about it," Abbey commented, finishing the other pigtail for Kate. She tied the ribbon and unlocked the wheels on Kate's chair, wheeling Kate over to look in the mirror. "What do you think, Miss Thing?" Kate grinned at her reflection in the mirror. 

"Yeah, looks pretty good, even if I am out of practice doing little girl's hair." said Abbey. "CJ why don't you leave the girls down here, go up and check on Leo. And while you're there, peek your head into the study." 

"Okay -- you think you can handle them?" CJ asked. 

"Oh yeah, no problemo, senorita..." Abbey teased with a grin. "Oh no you don't, you little turkey bird!" she said, running over to scoop Ari up into her arms. "Tinsel is not a treat."

"Good luck." called CJ over her shoulder. 

CJ stopped at the door to the study and knocked softly. Not getting an answer she peeked her head in. Jed was on the couch; sound asleep with a file across his chest. She snuck in and removed the file and his glasses. She turned off the light and closed the door quietly. 

Leo was still asleep when she got to their room. She sat in the chair next to the bed and watched him for a while. Eventually she glanced at her watch and realized he needed to start getting up if they were going to eat dinner, get the kids to bed and still make it to Mass. 

She bent down and kissed him on the cheek. "Hey you..." she whispered. 

"Wha?" he mumbled. 

"Time to wake up... dinner will be ready soon and we need to get the kids down before Mass..." 

"Wanna sleep," Leo muttered. 

She sat on the bed next to him and reached out to feel his forehead. He was a little warm but then again he was wearing jeans, a sweatshirt and he was under a down comforter. 

"Come on Leo, work with me a little." teased CJ as she poked him lightly in the ribs. "Why don't you get up and take a shower?" 

"'Cause I'm tired and I wanna sleep," Leo muttered. 

"You really ought to come down and see Little Miss Katie..." CJ said with a smile. 

Leo opened one eye. "What'd she do?" 

"I'm not telling you." 

"Twit..." 

"You have to get up and see for yourself." 

"That would involve getting up." he moaned. 

"Leo, look at me." she said as she pushed him over onto his back. "Are you feeling bad or are you just being a pain in the ass." 

"Uh, the second thing." he said with a smirk. 

"In that case, get up." she said as she pulled back the comforter. 

"Okay, I'm up, I'm up..." Leo mumbled, sitting up. "Where are the kids?" 

"Pat and Rose are still outside, playing, and Ari and Kate are down with Abbey." 

"Okay -- can I go back to bed now?" 

"Get your ass up and moving before I move it for you." 

"Claudia, that sounds like fun." 

"Pervert." 

"Whatever." he muttered as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. 

CJ handed him his cane and went to the dresser to get out some clothes for church. Leo went to take a shower and shave. An hour later they sat down to dinner in the dining room. The kids were remarkably well behaved. Rose and Pat were excited that Annie was coming over on Christmas Day. They adored her and followed her around whenever they were together. 

Getting the kids settled and in bed was a little more difficult than dinner but Leo managed to get Ari and Kate settled down by the time CJ was done showering and getting dressed. Rose was dressed and sitting quietly in the den watching TV while Pat ran around the house, pulling at his tie and complaining that he couldn't wear his old sneakers to church. 

"Ok, little man, time to settle down." said Leo as he grabbed Pat as he tried to run past him. Pat's momentum nearly sent the two of them crashing to the floor but Leo managed to keep his balance. 

"Hey, nice trick." teased Jed as he came out of the bedroom pulling on his own tie. 

"Wait til you see my encore. I'm going to attempt to stay awake through church." smirked Leo. 

"You've become disturbingly domestic," Jed said with scathing arrogance. 

"And damn proud of it..." Leo said with a grin. "You ought to come over sometime and see me change Ari's diaper." 

Jed wrinkled his nose as CJ came in and flopped onto the couch with gusto. "Hey, little man," she said to Pat. "You ready to go?" 

"I wanna wear my Blues Clues shoes!" Pat whined. 

"Sorry, babe -- gotta wear the dress shoes," CJ said. 

"Awwww..." 

"Pat, stop being such a baby!" Rose snapped. 

"Rose Anne, apologize to your brother." said Leo sternly as Jed took the opportunity to sneak out of the room. 

Rose started to pout but then took one look at Leo's face and apologized. She grabbed her coat and went to wait outside on the swing for the rest of them to come out. 

Leo wrestled his son into his penny loafers by showing Pat that he was wearing the same shoes. That calmed Pat down a little and he sat still for about a minute. 

"Are you sure you want to take him?" Leo asked CJ. 

"No..." 

When Pat heard this exchange, he looked up at his father, panicked. "I wanna go! I wanna go!" Pat protested. "I'll be good, daddy -- I wanna go!" 

CJ grinned at Leo and winked. "Works every time," she hissed, kissing Leo on the cheek. 

The ride in the limo was short and uneventful. The church was packed but being guests of the President of the United States had its advantages. They were escorted to a section of seats near the front. Leo put Pat on the aisle so he could have a better view. 

All was going well until the priest was almost done with the homily and Pat asked loudly, "When's Santa coming?" 

CJ flinched and bit back a giggle. Rose looked horrified. Leo bent down to whisper to Pat, and Pat shut up. 

Jed and Abbey were down the row, trying not to laugh. CJ gave Pat a bulletin and a pen to keep him occupied during communion. As the choir finished the last verse of Silent Night Pat was sound asleep on Jed's lap. One of the agents picked him up and carried him while CJ took Rose's hand. Leo straggled behind a little, not wanting to get crushed by the crowd or risk someone tripping over his cane. 

CJ looked around for Leo once they were at the row of cars. "Where's Leo?" she asked Abbey. 

"He's coming..." Abbey said. "Don't worry -- he's just a little preoccupied, trying not to trip and fall."

"OK, that's a good thing" said CJ as she opened the door and Rose climbed in. 

The agent had already settled Pat in his seat and strapped him in. CJ straightened up and saw Leo about 20 yards away. He was moving slowly but steadily with an exhausted expression on his face. By the time they got back to the farm she basically had to wake him up to get him inside. Abbey helped with the kids while Jed directed the agents in the best way to arrange the presents under the tree. 

Leo loped slowly into the living room to sit and watch Jed directing present traffic. "CJ's gonna bring the stuff down when she comes back down," Leo mumbled. 

"Okay -- how many packages?" Jed asked. 

"I dunno..." Leo yawned.

"You don't know. Didn't you do the shopping?" asked Jed with a grin. 

"Oh shaddup, I didn't count them. I just tossed stuff in the cart." said Leo as he kicked off his shoes and undid his tie. 

Abbey came in to the room carrying the gifts she and Jed had gotten for the kids. The pile was pretty large. 

"Abbey, you're going to spoil them." said CJ coming up behind her. 

"I sure am. And then I'm sending them home with their parents." she said with a smile. 

"And a ton and a half more junk than WE already are giving them..." CJ sighed, setting a pile of boxes onto the coffee table. "Let me go get some more -- I'm gonna need about three more trips." 

"Damn," Jed muttered. "No kidding you just like threw things into the cart, Leo!" 

CJ giggled. "That's not even counting our gifts -- the adults' gifts." 


	16. McGarry House of Hell 16

**McGarry House of Hell**

**by: Ginny and Becky**

**Pairing(s):** CJ/Leo  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Disclaimer:** The usual, not mine etc.  
**Summary:** Further adventures of the McGarry clan. Sequel to "You Could Drive A Person Crazy"  
**Feedback:** Feedback is appreciated.  


* * *

Part 16 

Jed just groaned as he got up and went to the kitchen for something to drink. He came back a few minutes later with a can of ginger ale for Leo. They sat on the couch and watched their wives as they rearranged and organized. 

"Hey, I think they need elf costumes, don't you?" mused Jed. 

Leo smirked and snickered softly. "CJ'd get frustrated with the pointy ears and tell you where to shove 'em..." 

"You're probably right." 

"You getting out the Santa costume again?" 

"And the big pillow..." 

"You're lookin' like you don't need the big pillow much anymore, Mr. President..." Leo teased. 

Jed pulled a pillow out from behind him and clocked Leo over the head with it, nearly spilling an entire can of soda on the couch. 

"Josiah Thomas, behave yourself." warned Abbey with a grin. 

"Whoa, you got the first and middle names, you'd better watch out." teased Leo. 

"Honestly, could the two of you act any more immature?" asked CJ. 

"Oh yeah." they chorused. 

"Please don't demonstrate," CJ muttered, rolling her eyes heavenward in a plea for patience. 

Leo immediately hit her in the face with a pillow. 

The four overtired, overstressed adults were well on their way to a massive pillow fight when the agents peeked their heads in to check on all the commotion. They smiled and walked away, shaking their heads in disbelief. 

Jed smacked CJ on the top of a head with a pillow and knocked her to the floor. Her head bounced off the floor and she lay still, silent. When they all noticed that she hadn't popped back up to join the fun again, they all stopped and knelt to poke at her. 

She popped up with a roar and whapped Jed in the gut with a roll pillow. He went flying backwards, missing the tree by mere inches and landing on top of a pinecone that had been knocked off the coffee table by someone's pillow. 

"Oww," he yelled as the other three were quick to tell him, "Shhhh".

"Hey, I'm the President of the United States, I don't have to sush." he said with a great deal of attitude as well as a huge grin.. 

"Fine, then you can stay up with the four kids you're bound to wake up." said Leo as he hauled himself up off the couch and started to pick up the pinecones and the stray pillows. 

CJ giggled and whomped Leo on the top of the head, which earned her a dirty look. "Payback's a bitch," she snickered. 

"Oh, I'll show you payback..." Leo growled with a grin. 

"Leo, not in the President's house!" CJ protested. 

Abbey and Jed turned to look at Leo. "I wasn't thinking THAT, you perverts!" Leo spluttered. 

The three dissolved into a bad case of the giggles as they all made their way slowly down the hall towards the bedrooms. Just before he stepped into his room Jed stopped short and turned to go back down the hallway. 

"Jed, where are you going?" asked Abbey with a tired sigh. 

"To eat the cookies the kids left out for Santa." 

"Any excuse for cookies," muttered Abbey. "Hurry up, you really need some sleep." 

The next morning Rose and Pat were awake at dawn. They ran into Leo's and CJ's room and hit the bed at full speed. Rose landed in between them and Pat landed on Leo's legs. 

"WAKE UP!" Pat shouted. "It's Christmas!!!!" 

Cj swatted and him and mumbled something about being asleep. Leo, however, opened on eye and said, "Go back to bed, kids..." 

"Why?" Rose asked, bouncing. 

"Cause Mommy and I are tired, we were up late last night with Uncle Jed and Aunt Abbey have a...." Leo's voice trailed off as he laughed at the memory of Jed sprawled out on the couch with a pillow over his face. "Never mine. What time is it?" 

"6:15." said Rose as she peered over Leo to glance at the clock. 

"Okay, guys, go back into your room and watch cartoons till seven, then come get us up..." Leo said, rolling over. 

"But daddy, they're already making muffins and bacon downstairs!" Rose protested. "And Aunt Abbey already got up with Ari..." 

"OK, go downstairs with your brother and stay away from the presents until Mommy and I get down. Deal?" 

Rose and Pat hesitated before answering. "OK" they agreed together. 

They closed the door behind them and flew down the stairs, yelling Merry Christmas to Jed and Abbey. 

"CJ, wake up. I give them ten minutes before they're back whining about the presents." 

CJ rolled over and moaned. "OK. I'll get up." she said with a sigh as she pushed back the comforter and blindly reached for her glasses. 

"AH, hell," she muttered as she knocked the lamp off the stand. 

"Don't worry about it," Leo said with a little laugh. "I do that all the time." 

"Yeah, I know," CJ muttered, sitting up and pulling on her robe.

Leo sat up and reached for his robe at the end of the bed. He moaned at the stiffness that had taken a hold of his back during the night. 

"Sore this morning, huh? Too much pillow fighting?" asked CJ with a smirk. 

"OH, shaddup. By the way, Merry Christmas." he said with a smile. 

"Merry Christmas, yourself," CJ said with a smile, kissing him. "I guess we'd better get downstairs before the kids start shaking boxes..." 

Leo laughed and held her hand. "I'd rather stay here with you for a while..." 

"Bacon, Leo." 

"OK, I know not to get in between you and a plate of well done bacon. I remember a time during the campaign when Josh almost got stabbed with a fork when he tried to steal a piece of bacon." teased Leo. "And speaking of Josh, we should call them later, check up on Donna." 

"Yeah," CJ yawned, getting to her feet and stretching. "Damn, I'm stiff," she muttered. "Well, let's go get some bacon!" 

Leo shook his head and followed her downstairs. Abbey had Kate's wheelchair pushed up to the kitchen table and was feeding her a buttered blueberry muffin. "Hey, guys..." 

"What right do you have to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed?" CJ growled. 

"It's Christmas, didn't you get the memo?" asked Jed with a smile. 

"I think Margaret forgot to give it to me." responded CJ as she reached for the cup of coffee Leo held out to her. 

"Can we open the presents now?" asked Pat. 

"After your mother has some bacon." 

"Sure put the blame on me." muttered CJ as she reached for the plate of bacon. 

She picked up the plate and teasingly rested it over the top of her plate. "Yeah, I think that's about enough for me..." 

"I want bacon!" Pat whined, waving his fork in the air. 

Ari spluttered and threw a handful of muffin across the table. 

Jed stepped in and took the rest of the muffin from Ari. He handed her some banana pieces while CJ gave Pat some bacon. 

While the adults finished eating the kids jumped up and down waiting impatiently for their presents. Even Kate and Ari picked up on their excitement. 

"Let's go into the other room," Jed said, guiding Pat and Rose into the den while CJ cleaned up Ari and Abbey cleaned up Kate and Leo cleaned up the dirty dishes. 

Twenty minutes later Leo went in the living room to plug in the tree and grab a seat on the couch. The kids rushed in seconds later and started to grab for the boxes. CJ got them settled down and handed them each a present to start with. 

Rose and Pat ripped into their boxes, and Ari started gnawing on hers. Abbey helped Kate unwrap a soft-form doll, and Leo helped Ari unwrap a tickle me Elmo doll. Ari was upset and bopped Leo in the face with it.

"Hey, I spent an hour wandering around Toys R Us for this thing, little miss." he teased Ari as he leaned over to pick her up. Much to his surprise she climbed right up into his lap and made herself comfortable. 

"Well, Leo, show her how to work it," CJ instructed as she passed presents to Jed, Abbey, Leo, and kept one for herself. 

"I don't know how to work it!" Leo protested. 

CJ tossed him the instructions with a grin. Ten minutes later he had figured it out and Pat was climbing on the couch asking him to figure out some kiddie-sized remote control car that Jed and Abbey had given him. "Go ask Uncle Jed." said Leo with a smirk in Jed's direction." 

An hour later as things were beginning to calm down, Elizabeth, Richard and Annie arrived. The kids flew towards Annie leaving behind a trail of wrapping paper and bows. 

Annie staggered into the living room with Rose on one leg and Pat on the other. "CJ, Leo, you wanna call off the attack dogs?" she teased. "OH! There's the little birthday girl!" she squealed, reaching for Ari. 

Ari shrieked in protest and practically climbed into Leo's chest. 

Annie frowned, but move on to Kate. "Hey, who's this little miss?" she asked.

CJ stepped up and introduced them. Annie made a fuss over Kate and Kate responded positively to the attention. 

After another round of presents CJ managed to drag the kids away from the gifts long enough to dress them while Leo and Jed tried to clean up the large mountain of wrapping paper. 

Abbey helped by supplying Leo and Jed with giant garbage bags, and by holding Ari and keeping her out of the paper, which she had discovered to be fun to play in -- kind of like a pile of leaves. 

CJ came back into the living room and sat on the couch. 

Annie looked up from where she was playing with Kate and her new toys. 

"CJ?" 

"Yeah?" 

"You liked Berkeley?" 

"Yeah... why?" 

"Because I'm graduating a year early and I'm trying to find a place to go to college still. Grandpa wants me to go to Harvard." Annie shuddered. 

CJ grinned. "That's great. Although I don't agree about Harvard. We have a trip to California scheduled for February maybe you can tag along. I'll make some time to show you around Berkeley." 

"Really?" 

"Yeah -- and I know your grandpa will be happy to have you come along..." 

"It's one of THOSE trips?" Annie asked, wrinkling her nose. 

"Yeah, it's one of those trips..."

"I guess I can live with it." 

"Yeah, I mean, Air Force One isn't exactly a cargo plane." teased CJ. "Besides, you grandpa will be so busy you won't even notice him." 

"Yeah right, it's a little hard not to notice a 30 person entourage accompanying up everywhere." moaned Annie in typical teenaged fashion. 

CJ laughed. "Hey, it's gonna be fine -- I know a few places on-campus to go where the Secret Service won't be allowed in." She grinned. "And I can protect your ass just fine, young lady, before you say anything."

"I heard that," yelled Elizabeth from the kitchen. "And I think it's a great idea." see added as she came into the room with a wide grin. 

"Really Mom?" asked Annie. 

"Sure, you'll have a great time, even if you do end up at Harvard." 

"Mom, I am not setting foot anywhere near Harvard." 

"And why not?" 

"Because it's full of snotty people." 

"Josh went to Harvard," Elizabeth said. 

"See my point?!" 

"Annie, Josh's isn't snotty. He's arrogant and pig-headed but he isn't snotty." said CJ with a smile. "And that reminds me, I want to call him and check in on Donna. The doctor said it looked like she would likely deliver early." 

"Okay -- want me to stay with Kate? Since Nana's got Arianna, and Grandpa's playing with Rose and Pat..." 

"Sure!" CJ said with a wide smile. "Thank you, Annie..." 

"She's a great kid," Annie said with a grin. 

CJ nodded in agreement and went in the bedroom to call Josh and Donna. She came out a few minutes later to find Leo at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee and the newspaper. 

"How's Donna?" he asked as he folded the paper back up. 

"Tired and uncomfortable. Doctor thinks the baby's going to be big. But she's hanging in there." 

"What about Josh?" 

"Strangely quiet. I think he's just nervous. Donna has an appointment tomorrow with the doctor. Josh said he would call tomorrow night." 

"Speaking of quiet, isn't it a little too quiet around here? Where is everyone?" 

"Rose and Pat are with Jed, Ari's with Abbey and Annie is entertaining Kate." 

"So, we're all alone?" asked Leo with an evil grin. 

"Leo Patrick, how many times do I have to tell you, not in the President's house." said CJ as she smacked him on the back of the head. 

"Ow..." he whined. 

"Well, it's your own fault," CJ muttered. 

"Seriously, sweetheart, we're alone -- which is something that never happens... there's a bed upstairs, waiting for us, and I'm sure..." 

"That the President will freak when he finds out we have sex?" CJ teased. 

"Well, he KNOWS we have sex, CJ... where else did the four kids come from?" 

"True." she admitted as she let Leo take her hand and pull her up from the chair. 

They snuck quietly up the stairs and an hour and a half later snuck back down to find everyone in the kitchen helping the kitchen staff get ready for Christmas dinner. 

"Hey guys, have fun?" asked Jed with a wink and a smile. 

CJ turned instantly red and looked to Abbey for help. 

"Josiah don't you have something better to do?" 

"Unfortunately, no...." Jed said with a grin. "So, did you two have fun?" 

"Immense amounts," Leo shot back. "In fact, I may give a detailed description later..." 

Jed flinched. "Uh, no thanks."

"OK, then let's just drop it, please." asked Leo as he cast a glance in CJ's direction and was rewarded with a glare. 

CJ and Leo took a seat at the kitchen counter and got to work on dinner with the rest of the group. They peeled potatoes, made salad, talked to Sam and Toby on the phone, got the kids some lunch and basically had a nice relaxing afternoon. 

About four-thirty, the phone rang, and CJ glared witheringly at it. It had shattered her nice afternoon. She grabbed it. "Hello, Bartlet residence..." 

"CJ, it's Josh -- um... how far apart are contractions supposed to be before you take a woman to the hospital?" 

"WHAT?!"

"How far..." 

"Joshua, I heard you the first time. Let me get Abbey." 

CJ covered the mouthpiece and yelled downstairs to the den. 

"Abbey, Josh is on the phone. Donna's in labor." 

Abbey immediately picked up the phone, and CJ hung up her end. Leo looked over at her. "Is he panicking?" he asked. 

"Yes and no..." 

"Ah. Typical first fatherhood syndrome..." 

"Well, I wouldn't know -- I just got fourth child fatherhood syndrome..."

Abbey came up a few minutes later. "They are on their way to the hospital. I think Josh'll need a sedative first. Sam's going to meet them there." 

"You want to head back?" Leo asked no one in particular. 

"No, dinner's cooking and it's her first child it could be hours." answered CJ as she walked to the kitchen. "Besides, we're heading back in the morning anyway." 

As the last of the dinner dishes were being loaded into the dishwasher Josh called to announce the arrival of Jacob Thomas Lyman. He was almost a month early but a healthy 6 lbs. 4 oz. Josh proclaimed him the most beautiful baby in the world with his mother's blond hair and his father's dimples. 

Leo snickered. "And like my kids aren't the cutest babies in the world..." 

"They aren't babies anymore -- except Ari," CJ pointed out.

"So." 

"So, I think there's a major rash of proud papas around here," Abbey said with a laugh. 

Jed and Leo broke out the cigars but were banished to the front porch to smoke them. They grumbled about the cold but went out anyway while Abbey and CJ lingered over the last of the coffee. 

"So how are things, really?" asked Abbey. 

"Things are good. I'm getting back into the swing of things at the White House and Leo is doing just great at home." 

"I'm glad to hear it. I have to admit I was pretty surprised when Leo wanted to stay home." 

"You're not kidding. It shocked the hell outta me." laughed CJ. 

"I can see why -- he's getting along with the kids?" 

"Yeah, and when he isn't, he just banishes them to the den and locks them in." CJ laughed. "I guess it's effective."

"Whatever works. Is Michelle still working most days?" 

"Yeah, she's there three mornings a week on the days Pat has school in the afternoon and she's around all day on the other two. She wants to cut back her hours a little more when the next semester starts so she can take some more classes. Leo's not too sure about that but I think he'll be ok when it happens. If not, we'll hire somebody new." 

Abbey nodded. "The kids will adjust. They usually do, right?" 

"Yeah..." CJ sighed. "It's good at home. Really." 

"Sounds like it." 

"I'm going to go find Annie and see if she can give me a hand getting the Rugrats ready for bed." 

Annie was glad to help get them ready for bed. She started the shower in the guest bathroom for Rose and let Pat have a bubble bath in the huge tub in her grandparent's bathroom. CJ got Kate into her pajamas and settled in the den with a video. Ari had already collapsed on the couch in the living room with Elmo in her arms. 

CJ smiled and lifted Ari up into her arms, carrying her and her precious Elmo upstairs to tuck her into her playpen-bed. She made a couple of sleepy protests, but settled down and plunked her thumb in her mouth as she nodded off again in the playpen. 

CJ smiled and covered her youngest with a blanket. "Night, sweetie," she whispered. 

CJ got the other three kids settled in for the night and she went to find Leo. He was on the front porch in the swing. 

"Hey, kids asleep?" 

"Almost. They're all in bed. You ok?" asked CJ as she sat down next to him. 

"Yeah, just tired." 

"Well, yeah..." CJ teased with a grin. "All that exertion from earlier..." 

"Jeez," Leo muttered. "Now you're gonna give me flack..." 

"No, I'm not, I was just teasing a little..."

"Yeah, I know." he said with a sigh. 

"Leo..." 

"I'm fine, really." he said cutting her off. 

CJ dropped the subject and tucked her feet under her, curling up next to Leo on the swing. They sat there in silence for a while, huddled under the wool blanket trying to stay warm. 

Around 11:00 Jed wandered out looking for Leo. 

"Hey you," he said. "Can I talk to you?" 

"Which of us?" CJ asked. 

"Leo." 

"Oh -- yeah, I'll go inside," CJ said, crawling out from under the blanket. "Don't stay up too late, honey..."

Jed started to make a smart comment but wisely decided against it as he took a good look at Leo. He looked utterly exhausted. 

"Hey, you ok?" asked Jed as he sat down on the porch railing. 

"Yeah, and I really wish people would stop asking me that question." answered Leo in a truly annoyed voice. 

"Sorry. Just wanted to know if you can hang around the office a little more this week since I'm sure Josh wants to spend some time with Donna and the baby." 

"Sure. I was planning on it." 

"Good." 

"It's going to change..." Leo sighed. "They'll be the good old days, eh?" 

"I guess so." 

Leo sighed. "Yeah." 

"What's wrong?" 

"Nothing."

Jed gave him a look that said 'I don't believe you but I'll drop it anyway'. 

Leo gave a small smile of gratitude. "I'd better head in. What time are we leaving tomorrow?" 

"Plane is scheduled to leave at 9:00.." 

"Which means about noon?" teased Leo. 

"Yeah. Good night." 

"You too, Jed." 

Jed nodded. "Get some sleep, okay?" 

"Sleep's good," Leo muttered as he walked inside. He went upstairs, changed into his pajamas, and climbed into bed with CJ, who was still awake, waiting for him.

She bit down on the inside of her cheek to keep from asking if he was ok. He crawled into bed next to her and kissed her cheek. CJ tossed her book aside as Leo rolled over onto his stomach and shoved a pillow under his head. She reached out to rub his back as she heard him take a few deep breaths to try and relax. 

"Thanks." he muttered as he closed his eyes. 

"For what?" 

"For not asking me what's wrong. Cause I honestly don't know the answer. Hell, I don't even know if something is wrong." 

"It's ok." she whispered as she kissed the back of his head and settled down next to him. 

Morning came too quickly. As usual CJ and Leo were greet by Pat climbing into the bed, trying to get in between the two of them. 

"Okay, you're gonna have to stop doing that, Pat," Leo grumbled. "I like having your mom next to me..." 

"You don' like me next to you?" Pat asked, pouting. 

"I do, but I like mommy next to me," Leo sighed.

"Leo, you're not going to win. Just get up." muttered CJ from the other side of the bed. "Pat go wake up Rose and then put on your clothes. They're on the end of the bed. Put your pajamas in your suitcase." 

"OK." he agreed as he slid off the bed. 

A minute later Rose came in complaining that Pat had jumped on her to wake her up. 

Leo looked at CJ and sighed. "He's your son," he muttered. 

"Oh, no, Leo, he's yours," CJ replied forcefully. "All yours." 

"Yeah but he jumped on me!" Rose whined.

Leo grabbed his cane and started down the hall to find Pat while Rose climbed into bed with CJ. 

"Oh no, it is time to get up, young lady." said CJ as she tossed the quilt back. "Go get dressed." 

"But I don't want to get up, mom!" 

"That's tough cookies -- we've got to fly home..." 

"Mooooooommmmmm!" 

"Stop," CJ said, taking Rose's chin in her fingers. "How old are you?" 

"Mom..." 

"Old enough to know better." 

"Yeah." 

"That's right. Now go get dressed and help your brother get his stuff together." 

A little after 10:00 Air Force One lifted off into the bright morning sky. Four hours later the car dropped the McGarry clan at home. Leo got the kids settled down while CJ made some sort of order out of the pile of luggage, presents and assorted junk that had been unceremoniously dropped in the foyer. "Looks like the only thing missing from this foyer is a big block of cheese." muttered CJ. 

"I heard that." laughed Leo from the hall. 

"Well, I'm sure we can find one somewhere!" she yelled back. 

"What kind of cheese?" Rose shouted from her room. 

"SWISS!" Pat and CJ chorused together. 

"EEEEEW!" Rose shrieked. 

Rose wandered out of her room and down the stairs. "Uh, Mom, Dad, I want to be the first to say, I think the two of you have totally lost it." 

"Why thank you Rose." said Leo proudly. "Say, did I ever tell you about Andrew Jackson and his block of cheese." 

"Many, many times." yelled Rose with a grin as she clamped her hands over her ears and ran from the room, followed quickly by Pat. 

"Boy Leo, you sure know how to clear a room." teased CJ. 

"All in a day's work," Leo teased with a grin, coming over to kiss her softly on the lips. 

"Yeah," she agreed. "Love you..." 

"Love you too." said Leo as he kissed her again. 

As December turned to January and 2002 turned to 2003 Leo, CJ and the kids spent a quiet night at home. They had had their share of invitations but in the end they just invited Josh, Donna and Jake over for dinner. The kids made a huge fuss over the baby. Pat kept running through the house yelling 'it's a boy, not another girl' at the top of his lungs until Josh told him that the baby would probably start crying if he didn't stop screaming. That shut Pat up in a hurry. 

Josh and Donna seemed to be adjusting well to parenthood. Josh was quite a sight to see changing a diaper and pacing the floor with a fussy baby. 

CJ thought it was amusing when Josh brought Jake to work with him, and yet denied her the right to bring Arianna with her. 

"Anyone want a popcorn ball?" CJ asked.

"Sure." called Josh from the kitchen where he was trying to get Jake to sleep. 

Leo took one in to him. He smiled at the sight of Josh with a burp cloth on his shoulder, baby drool on his cheek and a huge dimpled smile on his face. 

"Here. You want me to take him?" offered Leo as he held out the popcorn ball. 

"Sure." 

Josh handed over the cloth and the baby. He wiped his cheek with his shirt sleeve before he sat down at the breakfast bar and ate the popcorn ball. 

Leo walked for a minute but felt a little unsteady without his cane so he settled down on one of the chairs around the kitchen table. He looked down at Jake and laughed. 

"God help this kid, he looks just like you." teased Leo. 

"Yeah, he does." said Josh a little sadly. 

"Noah'd be proud of you, Joanie too." said Leo softly. 

"I know, thanks." replied Josh with a sad smile. 

"Come on guys, the ball is about to drop," yelled Donna from the living room. 

Leo laughed. "Only she can get so much enjoyment out of the ball dropping." 

"Daddy, daddy!" Pat yelled. "The ball's ready!"

Josh took the baby out of Leo's arms so he could get up. Once Leo sat back down in the recliner Josh put Jake back in his arms, sound asleep. 

The ball dropped and Jake slept through the yelling, the kissing and the sparkling cider. 

Almost 3 weeks later, on the morning of January 20th Leo woke up well before the alarm. He padded down the stairs and wandered restlessly through the house, his cane tapping on the hardwood floors. 

CJ blinked awake at the sound of the clacking of his cane and rolled out of bed, grabbing her glasses as she fell to the floor with a loud thud. She couldn't help but laugh as she got up and went downstairs to find Leo sitting at the breakfast bar, a cup of coffee in front of him. 

"Hey," she said softly. "Is that instant?" 

"Yeah..." 

"Can I have some?" 

"Sure." 

CJ took one sip and handed it back as she opened the freezer and grabbed the can of coffee. "That's gross Leo." she pointed out as she put a filter into the coffee maker and measured out the grinds. 

They waited in comfortable silence for the coffee to finish. 

"You ready for this afternoon?" CJ asked as soon as she'd poured the first cups. 

"I think so." 

"I am. But you're the one that has to watch the kids... that's why I was asking." 

"Yeah, just call me Nanny Leo..."

"Leo..." 

"Claudia Jean, I am fine. Michelle is keeping Ari and Kate here at home during the ceremony. She'll bring them to the White House after it is over. It's too cold for them to be outside so long." 

"Yeah, wow, 19 degrees" muttered CJ as she looked at the thermometer that was stuck to the window over the kitchen sink. 

"Yeah, nineteen degrees," Leo agreed. "And the wind chill is even lower..." 

"Hey, I have a question for you, honey," CJ said softly. 

"I can't guarantee that I have an answer, but you can ask away..." 

"When did we get so old? And when did the kids grow up so much?" she asked with a sigh. 

"They grew up while we were busy." he said sadly. 

"Yeah. I was afraid that was the answer. So are we ok now. Are we happy?" 

"I can't speak for the kids, but I'm happy. What about you?" 

"I'm happy." 

"Good, then let's get our happy kids out of bed and get this show on the road." said Leo as he kissed CJ on the cheek. 

A few hours later they were in Josh's office. Josh and Pat were both fidgeting and pulling at their ties. Donna was trying to nurse the baby as discreetly as she could on the couch. Rose was dancing around the room while CJ and Leo went over some last minute details. 

At last it was time for them to head over to the Capitol. Everyone left the room before Leo, leaving him a minute to himself in the office that he had occupied for four years. He sent up a silent prayer for all that God had given him as he took one last look around. He picked up his cane and headed for the door. Taking one last glance over his shoulder he shut the door on one part of his life and headed on to the next part. 

THE END 


End file.
